The overwintering shovellers on the lake at West Park. As usual when not sieving the surface of the water for food, they were resting up in the lee of the island.
Honey fungus at base of tree, West Park
Signs that another of the mature trees in West Park will need to be felled in a few years: honey fungus growing at the base of the trunk.
Netted Crust, Byssomerulius corium
Yet one more fungus from the highly productive small area under a pair of beech trees. This netted crust was growing on a fallen branch, presumably from one of the beeches.
Rat in short, damp grass, West Park
Rat searching short, damp grass in West Park for something to eat, finding quite a bit. It was in the most popular area where people put down peanuts for squirrels, likely getting lots of leavings. There was no sign it was disturbed by my presence.
So much gold
It’s the twelfth day of Christmas, or twelfth night, or Epiphany (for those churches which use the Gregorian calendar). Traditionally, the day the three wise men reached Bethlehem.
The camel was outside a shop in Oberammergau. The elaborate gold chest is behind the high altar of Cologne cathedral, holding the supposed remains of the three wise men. It looks like there was a lot more gold used in its construction that in the original gift.
Beech milkcap under beech tree
The small patch of grass under a pair of beech trees which produced several species of fungi this autumn showing one more. The beech milkcap is, as the name implies, a specialist in growing in association with beech trees.
Two interacting herons, West Park: second bird
The second of the West Park interacting herons (see previous two posts). The bird had already landed, settled, and started watching the other heron when it first came into view. It didn’t seem to move very much at all for the ten minutes or so that we carried on watching them.
Two interacting herons, West Park: first bird
The first of the two herons which were interacting on the West Park island recently (see previous post). This is the slightly smaller of the birds, possibly female. Most of these pictures were taken before the other one appeared.
During this period, the bird was very active preening. It kept turning round, hunching and generally shifting its posture.
Two herons interacting, West Park
Could these two herons be starting a courtship routine in West Park? When we got to the park, on a sunny morning last month, there was one heron perched in a willow on the island (second picture in the set). We paused to look at it, and I fired off some shots. Then we moved a bit further round, to get a better view of the heron and of other birds.
That meant we lost sight of the heron for a couple of minutes as we passed some bushes between us and the lake. When we got a clear view of the willow, a second heron had appeared, perched on the tree and already settled.
The two birds were facing each other directly. I’m used to seeing two or more herons standing or perching in such a way that they appear to be avoiding seeing each other, although perhaps keeping a watch out of the corner of an eye.
These two were in mutual eye contact, and continued in that condition for at least ten minutes.
The later arrival was slightly larger than the one which had already been there. The sexes are similar in herons, other than the males being a little bigger, so it’s possible that was what we had there.
At one point, the smaller bird stretched its neck out towards the other, a movement associated with the species’ courtship display. If that was what was happening, it was very early: mid-December, when the usual time from February.
They were still doing whatever it was that they were up to when we decided we had been standing still for too long in a cold wind and headed off.
Because they were focussed on each other, they completely ignored our presence. So I was able to get a few more pictures where I zoomed in on the more recent arrival. I’ll post pictures of the individual birds another day.
"Birds" of Stratford on Avon
At first, I thought that this parrot was real. It was in a window in a quiet part of Stratford on Avon town centre.
A model bird of prey on the forecourt of the town’s rowing club. I doubt it has much deterrent effect on those living birds which congregate there. These are geese and swans, waiting to respond whenever someone comes to feed the birds on the opposite bank of the river.