Leprous fingers reaching out from inside a rotting log
Quite a thing to come upon when you’re on your morning jog
A cool, blustery morning today with a low blanket of cumulus covering the skies. I began with a quick walk around the car park, noting the Blackthorn trees and bushes already laden with unripe sloes. A few Jack-in-the-Pulpet stems with berries were protruding along the timeline, but I didn’t spot any interesting new fungi so I decided to head into the woodlands towards the diagonal path.
Herb Robert and Enchanter’s Nightshade added a splash of colour to the understory, but I spent most of my time scanning the logs along the margins of the path, freshly resurfaced after yesterday’s volunteer work party. My search was rewarded by a macabre sight, a set of Dead Man’s Fingers protruding from a rotten trunk. Further along the trail I discovered a second mushroom which I couldn’t identify. I’ll do some research later. A Green Woodpecker was yaffling throughout these proceedings, I haven’t heard one of them for a while.
The Diagonal Path was lined with Agrimony, Honeysuckle and Teasels, just beginning to come into flower. A few stems of Ragwort were in flower as well, one being patrolled by a Soldier Beetle. Over the cliffs below a Kestrel briefly glided into view, then out again.
Heading up Mile Marker slope, there was a plethora of wildflowers to admire. Medic and Clover abounded on the lower slopes, as well as Yellow-Wort and Red Bartsia. Hugging the grass closely were patches of Eyebright. I took a moment to appreciate their delicate forms, which I think is important to do every now and then.
Back at the learning centre, the trill of a Swift floated into my ears, but I didn’t spot the source. The Bird ringers were out again today, with Willow and Sedge Warblers being sighted, as well as a Roe Deer and a Slow Worm.