Knole Park is a good place to spend time in Autumn, with the leaves turning and blowing around, and with the herd of Fallow Deer posturing and belching in the rut.
Much of the posturing is done by the bucks in the prone position, guarding their little scrape of bare earth which seems mostly to be used to dirty up their nether regions (you come to this blog for informed scientific facts, don't you?)
Does are very aware of the bucks' agitation, and some flirt while others keep a cool distance.
Appropriately I saw Yellow Stag's Horn fungus, as well as Candle Snuff.
Closer to home (or rather closer to work) I was pleased to see what I thought was Cauliflower Fungus which is edible and good, but then discovered that it would be expected on pine trees, not an old ash, so care will be taken before harvesting.
The warm weather continues to bring out late insects, including a whole hedgerow of ladybirds, among which was an unusual fly, which if it is mesembrina meridiana (per the I-spy Insects book) is not generally found in East Kent.
7 comments:
Could've dropped in for a cuppa at pitswood steve on your way home :-)
Steve ,
Very unusual that Cauliflower Fungus high on an Ash , rather than parasitic on the roots of a Pine . If it's OK with you , I'll mention it to a fellow hedgelayer who does a weekly fungi course and see what he comes iup with .
Certainly wouldn't argue with your Noon Fly ID .
Thanks for the 'nether regions scientific facts' .
Claire said....
That does look like Mesembrina meridiana & we seem to get lots of them around Pegwell & Sandwich Bay. They have quite a long season as I have been seeing them for months but are particularly numerous at the moment, sunning themselves whenever possible (which hasn't been often recently).
Thanks for the comment, which confirms the contradiction of NBN's distribution map. They have, presumably, spread.
Thanks also to Fred, and to Warren for his kind offer of a cuppa.
Lovely deer shots! Do you still see your little owls?
The deer are gorgeous and so different from what I see here. I love you fungus. I have been in search of "good" ones to photograph too. Happy Holidays!
Good grief, the yanks have arrived in force!
Welcome back Mary and Michele, and a Happy Holiday to you.
:) Well, I don't think you have not been posting much lately have you? (One post in October!!?!!)Glad to see some British nature!
Happy Holidays to you too!
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