Sunset Walk to Hardwick Wood

I walk up to and explore Hardwick wood  on average once a week - the terrain is unusually hilly for Cambridgeshire so there are always enjoyable views with wide skies and at around 3.5miles round trip fulfils my daily exercise quota. Yesterday I did the walk later in the afternoon so the sun set as I was in the wood giving a dramatic setting for the large number of fungi there at the moment including large Geotropes (Clitocybe geotrope) and Parasols

Toft Meadow Fungi and Flies

Although I sometimes think it would have been great to have lived in more places in my life, there is something wonderful about exploring the same area for so many years - Toft Great Meadow never fails to reveal a new species or a new aspect of the scenery. Yesterday I decided to record the various fungi there including this Petticoat Mottlegill - aptly named with its lacy cap. The recent rains have cut away at Bourn Brook banks giving some excellent vertical surfaces for next season's Kingfisher nests.

Toadstools from Sandy Bedfordshire

With all the recent rain and relatively mild temperatures, the fungi are abundant everywhere including RSPB Sandy. We had a very enjoyable day there yesterday with only one shower when we needed to shelter. Here some of the Toadstools; smaller fungi and lichens to follow!

Fungi in Hardwick Wood

Hardwick Wood, as expected, has very large numbers of fungi everywhere at the moment after the rain and now the warmer temperatures. The first two have appropriate names - the Tripe Fungus and the Honey Fungus (taken with small pocket camera so not great quality!).

Paxton Pits Afternoon walk

Yesterday morning was too wet to do outside work at Paxton Pits so we were undercover putting nest boxes together. In the afternoon, the rain stopped and clouds cleared to give beautiful light for a walk around the reserve. There are hundreds of Gadwall and Widgeon on the Lakes at the moment together with resident Cormorants, Swans and Gulls which provided plenty of activity to photograph. The flies are still active with three species of hoverfly in one small patch together with a Sarcophagid fly on a toadstool.