Abbey Meadows

Abbey Meadows

Friday 25 April 2008

Migrants filtering through




This morning as I was arriving for work a Grasshopper Warbler was singing in the grounds of St Georges hospital. House Martins have been flying over the gardens the last couple of days. I received a text from boulmerbirder about a Great white Egret which flew south off Cresswell pond at 6am this morning but I couldn't check the local pools until 5 this evening. I went to Longhirst flash where I have seen a one before but only Gulls here. However, scanning through these birds I picked up an Immature Iceland Gull. This is the first one I have seen here this year as these have eluded me so far despite being seen by others both here and nearby Linton. An evening stroll across Morpeth common produced a Whimbrel flying north right over my house calling as it went. I thought I was very observant, leaving no stone or leaf unturned in persuit of anything that moves or grows. After a spot of gardening I was sitting in the garden with a cup of tea watching Blackbirds carrying food into the hedge just a couple of feet away. On closer inspection there was a nest of young Blackies bursting at the seams; how have I just noticed them now! I must have set my sights too high and been looking into the wide blue yonder in persuit of Ospreys and Storks. A couple of hours later they were being fed on the lawn but almost impossible to photograph as there is plenty of places for them to hide. I turned the compost heap over and came across this funghi but I need help to identify it as I couldn't find it anywhere in my books.

3 comments:

Stewart said...

Click onto Mostly Macro link on my blog, Dean Stables knows a thing or two about fungi, he might help...

abbey meadows said...

Thanks bb & mm I had narrowed it down to the inkcaps but none of the pictures were convincing. Shaggy inkcap fruits later in the summer but I wondered if it was the early stages of Magpie inkcap (coprinis picaceus)as it was growing in darkness under the compost heap which is a suitable habitat for this species. Later the cap may become more conical as it matures. I'd like to hear more comments as it was growing in my garden so it would bug me if I couldn't put a name to it.

Stewart said...

Nigel Dean has left a comment on my newest post. He is struggling to get on to your blog...maybe you could leave a comment on his?