Another morning when the Country Park was covered in a thick mat of fog, the visibility down to 30 or less metres making it almost impossible to see anything.
However fortunately the sounds of the birds were still to be heard with the flock of Long-tailed Tits in the tops of the Sycamore. Their chattering calls filling the air above me, as they moved lower in the tree I could finally see them and make out their long tails and buff pink bodies.
From overhead the loud croak of a Raven floated down, this large black crow sweeping down into the Holm Oak where it disturbed it closely related relative the Jay. This bird erupted from the branches with a very loud, and possibly indignant, squawk, as it flew low through the woods the white rump was just visible in the murk.
The ground cover in the woods provided most of the colour today, the bright green of Hartstongue Fern and the duller green fronds of Soft Shield Fern. The taller thin leaves of Stinking Iris noticeable alongside their orange berries.
The damp weather of late has encouraged the fungi to emerge, with clumps of Candlesnuff Fungus on the dead fallen trunks where Dead Man’s Fingers were also spotted as was the more colourful Hairy Stereum, and the off-white Cauliflower fungus.
From the field came the loud call of a Green Woodpecker, yaffling as it flew, this bird seen again later perched on the top of a Meadow Ant hill in Long Meadow.
A Willow was being used by a group of Goldcrest, once more the sound bringing them to my notice, but ages spent trying actually see them and then identify by anything other than sound, in the dull grey light.