Spotted Flycatchers and more at Cranford Park

 

By the time I got down to Cranford Park mid morning Dragena and her band of merry men had already made a great start with the new wildlife pond. There are just a few more pieces to do on Thursday then we wait for the wildlife to move in.....

Dragena and her team have done a great job and I cannot wait to see what it looks like next weekend.

 

 

The Stinkhorn fungus that I found a couple of days ago has survived another day of not being kicked over......

 

 

I found the below fungi growing out of one of the many log piles. I'm not 100% sure of identification but I think it's one of the Boletes family. It's very small at the moment so I'll check back on it when I'm next off shift at work.....

 

Which brings me nicely on to my next couple of photos. There are two fungi that I've always wanted to see but never had. One is the tiny Birdsnest fungi and the other is the weirdly wonderful Earthstar. So I was more than a little jealous when my favourite Aunt found eight Earthstars in her garden !! She has sent me the below photos to share.....

 

Fantastic garden tick.

 

Back to Cranford Park, I found the usual male Great Spotted Woodpecker by the Stone Bridge. It is going to be well worth watching the dead trees there in Spring. I've got a funny feeling he may make a nest hold in one of them....

 

 

Even though it was warmer and sunnier today than yesterday, there still weren't that many butterflies out and about. This Comma was the only one that was still enough for a photo.....

 

 

My young friend Stella joined me at lunchtime. It was her first visit to the park so I showed her around most of it.

The leaves are turning in one of the copses producing this great show of autumnal colour.....

 

 

I've said before that Stella is my lucky charm, and she proved me right again today....

We were sitting in St Dunstans church yard when I saw a little brown bird fly out of one of the evergreens, do a semi circle flight and settle back out in the open. The characteristics of the Spotted Flycatcher ! One of the migrating birds that I had hoped to see at Cranford CP this autumn. And there wasn't just one, there were at least two birds, possibly three. Excuse the bad photos below, they weren't being too obliging and were choosing to perch very high up......

 

 

A great few hours out and only cut short because I had to come home and get ready for my next four shifts at work.

 

Stella - you little star, thank you for being my lucky charm.......again ! Hope you enjoyed your visit.