It was a beautiful October morning with clear blue skies and sunshine. I decided to spend some time in the New Forest with several targets, not all to do with bird life.
It was busy in and around the car park with a number of dog walkers, but I managed to find a spot to park and was quickly off down the path towards the famous Lesser Spotted Woodpecker tree. But it wasn't the woodpecker I was looking for it was a Tawny Owl. Ian had seen it last week and I had a good idea where to look. Using his photograph I was finally able to find the hole it had been sitting in and there it was enjoying some filtered morning sunshine.
I was hopeful that the light might improve later in the morning, so decided to look for my other target, the fungi that is having a very good year. It wasn't hard to find, they were everywhere, on the ground and on the fallen trees scattered around the area.
First was a group of Olive Oysterlings. They grow on dead hardwoods and like humid conditions.
Perhaps the most numerous around the area and on the dead wood, both large boughs and small twigs, the Porcelain Fungus.
Resembling the delicate porcelain cups and plates, they have a sheen in the filtered sunlight.
A view from below showing the gills.
many would grow on the side of the dead branches.
The Chestnut Mushroom, another fungus that grows on dead hardwood, specially Beech as found here.
Oyster Mushrooms again growing on a fall trunk of Beech.
Almost a bowl like shape.
Sulphur Tuft, a common woodland fungi that grows prolifically in large clumps on dead hardwoods.
Honey Fungus again growing on the dead trees.
The Common Bonnet, a tiny mushroom.
And the Willow Shield a rather non-descript mushroom on top of yet another dead tree trunk.
Hoping the light might be a little better I walked back to look for the Tawny Owl once again. It was still only partial sunshine but it was a little brighter. I moved around in the attempt to get a view without the branches
There, I moved a little to the side and fortunately the owl followed me, keeping a close watch on what I was doing.
With it not moving all the shots began to look the same. Turning around the sun was hitting the bracken that was turning a beautiful golden yellow.
Here a very autumnal scene found in the forest at this time of year, a mix of greens, gold and darkness.
I decided to walk the track down hill and was taken by this frond of bracken caught by the shards of sunlight coming through the trees.
I reached an area that was cleared and a path went up through the bracken On the path were these two mushrooms that turned out to be the quintessential fugus, the Fly Agaric, these two were on the way out, the head flattening out and something has taken a bite out of it. These are poisonous to humans, giving a psychotic trip. It very much depends on the persons ability to take them, it can range to illusive experiences to death.
I walked up the path and could hear Goshawk calling from the pine plantation. One flew over, but at distance, while another continued calling in the plantation without showing itself.
I like this silver birch sat amongst the bracken and the blue sky.
I walked a loop around the pine plantation and then back down towards the Tawny Owl once more. There was forestry work going on, but I did manage to see and hear several Crossbills flying over.
More fungi on the path, this is an Oak Milkcap, beautiful gills.
I know this is a type of Russula, but I can't pin the species down.
Back at the Tawny Owl, it was still showing well, now in shade the sun having moved around.
Zooming out, this shows the hole in the tree with leaves as decorations.
I walked back to the car with Speckled Wood, a Red Admiral and male Brimstone passing me. THere seemed to be a influx of Ladybirds as they were all over me and the cars. Interestingly they were mostly Harlequins. This one is the sub species spectabilis.
And this one succinea.
After some lunch I walked up the slope to spend some time on the down. I walked around the open areas, but with only Skylark and Meadow Pipits, I couldn't find any Woodlark. Some lovely scenes looking across the vistas to the west and north.
I walked back along the lower track and this took me through a small copse of pine and oak and some more fungi. This is a very large fungi, with a diameter of about six inches, the Blusher
Just emerging.
Then a perfect Fly Agaric, all that is missing is the Fairy.
Walking back a view across the valley on the other side of the car park. I remember the first time I came here there were nesting Curlew and drumming Snipe.
Close to the car park I walked through the bracken and found another perfect Fly Agaric.
Nice to spend some time in the New Forest once again, the Tawny Owl was very nice as was the multitude of fungi. Hopefully if the weather continues to behave the forest will be awash with autumn colour in a few weeks time
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