Friday, 31 October 2014

In summary


It's been a blast, I've learned loads. Introduced myself to some species I knew nothing about - and taking the photographs forced me to do the identification rather than just idly speculating what something might be.

What's been good is the interactions with the county recorders.  I got in touch four times and got a response every time.  All of them were new records for the area - so that was pretty rewarding.

I would have liked to have done more in the Cemetery where I started but being on crutches for the last half made that impractical.

On the whole I'm pleased with the way it went.   I would have liked to have got more mammals beyond the squirrel.  I had the shots planned for bat, badger and deer all of which were definitely getable.    Voles, mice and hedgehogs are all local too - but I'd need to get really lucky to get those.

Would have been good to get the grass snake I missed by not being able to get the lens cap off quickly enough.

I missed a few butterflies and other cool insects.  Also had lots of other planned shots of articular trees in full greernery - which didn't look as good in autumn

But I can't complain I did get the aftermath of two hurricanes Bertha  and Gonzalo and found shots for the most murky and bland of  days.  Extending beyond the cemetery had its benefits I got fish, crabs and lots of things I would never have got.  I'll take a break for a while and then start a new nature blog and just do it from time to time.


A Kentish Snail from day 98 - one of the many photos I took that I didn't tweet.
 

Day 100: Enduring Lichens

As close as I could make it the same shot as Day 1.   I thought it would be a nice way to finish.

Over the 100 days

The summer birds have all gone
Most of the leaves have gone
Most of the flowers have gone
Most of the insects have died off and are hibernating
Hibernation has begun for many animals

But the lichens are implacable...

Thursday, 30 October 2014

Day 99 More Autumnal colours

Another lunchtime trip to Ruskin Mill - this time some nice riverside vegetation with great autumnal colours.

Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Day 98: Grey Heron

A lunchtime walk to Ruskin Mill near Nailsworth. A statuesque heron trying its best to score at the trout farm.

Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Day 97: Greglag Geese

An overdue trip to Slimbridge - it's half term so we all got to go.  Lovely mild autumnal day.  A little chance to do some bird watching

Amongst the wild birds we saw:

Shoveler
Shelduck
Pintail
Teal
Wigeon
Pochard
Lapwing
Tufted Duck
Mallard
Moorhen
Coot
Crane
Grey Heron
Bar-Tailed Godwit
Cormorant
Herring Gull
Black Headed Gull
Pied Wagtail
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard






Female Pintail

Sparrowhawk (juvenile)

Cranes

Monday, 27 October 2014

Day 96 Above "The Heavens"

Just a couple of km form where I live - a favourite summer walk. This taken from above heavens looking across to the Cemetery where I took about half the photographs for this challenge.


Sunday, 26 October 2014

Day 95 Bracket fungus

Very large bracket fungus.  Hard and woody a quick distraction during Koa's Birthday party.

Now ID'd this one as..

Ganoderma applanatum - Artist's Fungus

http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/ganoderma-applanatum.php

Saturday, 25 October 2014

Day 94: Oysterling (Crepidotus)

Koa bought this stick festooned with tiny mushrooms back from his walk yesterday, we went back this morning to look for some more.


http://www.ispotnature.org/node/391533



On the way out that evening we spotted this full arc rainbow, with faint double  photographed from car park of Edgemoor Inn.  Too nice an opportunity not to take a picture.


Thursday, 23 October 2014

Day 92 Rowan

Finally found a Rowan with a decent number of berries... This at Robins Wood Gloucester

http://www.thecityofgloucester.co.uk/things-to-do/search-results/robinswood-hill-country-park-p140263


Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Day 91 Holly

Return to the graveyard first time since  my surgery on Sept 9th.  A quick lunchtime visit. I'd photographed some trees in the hope that I'd be able to do some shots of them in full autumnal splendour. A bit disappointing the silver birches are still green but with far fewer leaves.  The holly was nice bonus - the berries all ready for the invasion of redwings due about now from Scandinavia.  Not seen one yet  but then again not been to anywhere you'd find them until today!!!

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Day 90 Autumn Leaves

The remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo currently ravaging the UK... Not particularly fierce here in the Cotswolds. But it'll take a lot of leaves off the trees...





Sunday, 19 October 2014

Day 88 Green Elf Cup

Without doubt the amazing coloured mushroom I've ever seen.  A short hobble in the woods quite hard work on crutches.





Saturday, 18 October 2014

Day 87 Sweet chestnut

Edible cousin to our conker.  Much more prickly casing.  Like conked tree all fruit on ground. Leaves greener though.




Sweet chestnut leaves
Sweet Chestnut - leaves

Friday, 17 October 2014

Day 86: Common Darter

Finally found a place where these hang out.  One of the latest flying dragonflies.  Several pairs flying around and ovipositing.  Trying to avoid becoming lunch for a mallard and moorhen.


Synchronicity

Ovipositing

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Day 85: Horse chestnut

Conkers -well past their peak - the ground all around the tree littered with husks and fallen brown leaves.  This from the grounds of the splendid St Cyr's church in Stonehouse.






Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Day 84: Common Slug (Arion ater)

This fella on my doorstep this morning.  Obviously enjoying the continuing damp weather.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/902/t/4028.aspx


Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Day 83 Mallard

More miserable wet weather and it looks like we're stuck in quite a long period of it.  Pair of mallards waiting out the rain.

Monday, 13 October 2014

Sunday, 12 October 2014

Day 81: Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

From Coaley Peak - few of these White lipped Banded Snails in amongst the nettles - good to find the close relative to the subject of the Dark lipped Banded snail  Day 13

http://www.uksafari.com/bandedsnails.htm


Saturday, 11 October 2014

Day 80: Kestrel

A quick fresh air trip to Coaley Peak - whilst taking a break from Maya's Science revision.  A great brooding sky half blue, half black.  This kestrel was quartering the ground in front of us.  Love the way the feathers lift off the back. Looks like the bird is being sucked upwards.








Friday, 10 October 2014

Day 79 Ivy

A  very common plant everywhere around here.   Late flowering means an excellent source for nectar for many insects before hibernation

http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/wildlife/factfiles/shrubs/ivy.htm




Thursday, 9 October 2014

Day 78: River Severn form Arlingham

Lots of squally showers and my lunchtime drive to take picture coincided with the worst of them. The photograph is anything but magnificent but best I could do on crutches - in the rain aon a slippery surface.  Still an amazingly wild place huge tidal range and the estuary one of most important wildlife areas in the country.



Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Day 77: Fox moth - caterpillar

This one from yesterday - but as I'd struggled so far on crutches to get it - I figured I deserved a freebie.. Actually saw two of these crawling across the path.  I presume (but haven't checked) that these will pupate over winter to emerge in the spring.



Tuesday, 7 October 2014

Day 76: Autumnal sky

More than hint of autumn colour in trees now.  Big brooding sky with the Severn in full flood just visible in the right-hand side of the picture.   This was a bit of an epic struggle on crutches - be nice to xome back at end of month and get the view I really wanted.





Monday, 6 October 2014

Day 75: Sloe - Blackthorn


Sunday, 5 October 2014

Day 74: Tawny Pinion

Highnam is an awesome RSPB reserve, has Nightingales in the summer - which I've seen and heard several times.  All three species of Woodpacker, Marsh tits, Hawfinches a great site.  I went to try an photograph birds but didn't see a single bird!!   This moth was asleep in the hide.



Saturday, 4 October 2014

Day 73 Ladybird (Harlequin)

At a birthday party just North of Gloucester - Just one of these adults, an invasive species that's killing off the native species.



Harlequin Ladybird

Harlequin

Friday, 3 October 2014

Day 72: Brown Trout

Great to get a fish on the list.  These ones from the River Frome at Brimscombe Port.  In its hayday as centre of boat building and textile industry this reiver would have been pretty much abiotic. Now we've got lots of key indicator species of clean rivers.  and it's a frequent haunt of Kingfishers and dippers.


Thursday, 2 October 2014

Day 71 Red Clover

Another bright sunny day. Summer well and truly on the wane but still very nice these red clover nice splash of colour.


Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Day 70: Black Bryony

Lots of this around at the moment - I had no idea what this one was until today...

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/black-bryony