Friday 4 November 2011

Kicking up the leaves

It's the time for kicking up the leaves (or at least it was last weekend, before the wind and rain took their toll). Lovely colours due to the Indian summer, with Field Maple noticeably bright, and Wild Service Trees brightly red if you can find them.

The fun-named Jumping Down near Elham was a painter's pallette of red, gold and green. Very few fungi to be found, so I'm starving, but these two nestling in the grass could be found by careful searching.





Talking of trees as we were, the Woodland Trust has launched an appeal to plant trees for the Queen's jubillee, and has released an online version of the equivalent venture for George V in the 1930s.


There were some firs planted at Otty Bottom in Kingsdown (not a very appropriate choice of species, what?):

and I found a copper beech in Postling churchyard. Given that it's over 75 years old, it's not very big.




On the bird front, I had good views of a Pallas's Warbler in the garden last week, just before one was seen down the road.


And this morning it was good to feel a nip in the air and to see divers, auks and duck flying low over the sea. Seawatching for the winter now.

And finally folks, can anyone explain why this sign is lying to me. There is no danger, and it's not barbed wire.

3 comments:

Greenie said...

Steve ,
I was beginning to think that you had returned to Rhodes .
The trees have indeed been very colourful this Autumn .
As it happens , I posted both your fungi tonight , the yellow isn't edible and I hope you wouldn't eat the red one .

Rob said...

Lovely autumn landscapes there, Steve, and place names to match.

Kingsdowner said...

Thanks Fred, I'm not that desperate :-) Maybe the fungi'll appear now after the rain.

Hi Rob, long time no hear!