Nature watch.

[Pockthorpe 540]

3 hours ago, sonyc said:

Those photos are fantastic @Pockthorpe, they really stand out. My groups tend to be the various Waxcaps in a moorland field (which has been fallow possibly for centuries) and a wood on the doorstep. The latter is more varied with lots of Birch, Oak, Beech and Larch - almost gothic it is to walk through.

A couple more types spotted today - a Common Ink Cap family and some Elastic Oysterlings, which I think are less common. Pure white they were but the photo is not as sharp as I would have liked.

 

More great photos Sonyc . Mine were from Ashwellthorpe Woods . An ancient woodland mentioned in the Domesday book apparently - I’d never heard of it until I went online after I saw your photos to see a good place to go . Hornbeam , Oak , Ash , Elm etc and lots of hazel that was once coppiced . 

[Herman 9,825]

Odd behaviour noticed with our resident magpies at work. They are punching holes in our large polytunnels. Our theories currently are that they are using it to clean their beaks or catching insects floating around on the other side of the plastic, similar to a kingfisher on water. 

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,428]

I forgot I had my own photo.

Mushroom ladder (don't know what sort) Broadland Country Park last week.

[sonyc 5,541]

16 minutes ago, Wings of a Sparrow said:

I forgot I had my own photo.

Mushroom ladder (don't know what sort) Broadland Country Park last week.

That's a cracking display WOAS! Ideal for lazier squirrels no doubt.

I think they are all Artist's Conk (or Artist's Bracket) but I'm a novice at this. The source is as follows:

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,428]

Ah, brilliant thanks 👍

[TheGunnShow 6,002]

Speaking of nature. I might have lobbed these shots in before but no harm winging them in again. Some puffins on the island of Mykines in the Faroes in early June, and then a shot looking north-west from its most northerly settlement, namely Viðareiði.

[sonyc 5,541]

Thought I had seen all the mushrooms I was going to this autumn but the dog's ball bounced where it shouldn't have and took me off the path.

The Candlesnuff Fungus and some some White Fibrecap (toxic).

The Candlesnuff look like little stag's horns. 

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

Not mine but a lovely photo

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

This is a shaggy parasol in Hethel Woods. Photo doesn't do it justice, it was enormous 

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

For those of you with Facebook. The Norfolk Wildlife group have found an unidentified form of fungi at Holkham estate 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/459920964112487/permalink/6698958990208622/

[Herman 9,825]

 

[BurwellCanary 216]

On 06/12/2023 at 17:48, Herman said:

 

Restores faith in human nature - at least momentarily

[sonyc 5,541]

The sheep escaped their field and got into the entrance of the wood this afternoon. An odd sight really but they must have found some better grass.

Thankfully the dog (a sheepdog) was only interested in the tennis ball as she was off lead.

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,192]

Another eruption

Quite a biggie this time 

I'm supposed to be working in (well,  just to the north west of) Grindavík this morning, around 2km from the southern end. I'm not sure if the authorities will let me in.

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

2 hours ago, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

Another eruption

Quite a biggie this time 

I'm supposed to be working in (well,  just to the north west of) Grindavík this morning, around 2km from the southern end. I'm not sure if the authorities will let me in.

 

My God. Keep us updated. 

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

2 hours ago, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

Another eruption

Quite a biggie this time 

I'm supposed to be working in (well,  just to the north west of) Grindavík this morning, around 2km from the southern end. I'm not sure if the authorities will let me in.

Currently being reported on BBC Radio 5 

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,192]

2 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

 

My God. Keep us updated. 

Some good photos just been posted on RUV

I drove down the main road, Reykjanesbraut, this morning. It was a stunning sight. Unsurprisingly, the job at Grindavík is closed today, so I'm at Keflavík instead 

The volcano has died down a bit over the last few hours, initial thoughts are it might only last a few days. Hopefully, it will leave the town and infrastructure in peace 

[Pockthorpe 540]

Lucky enough to catch these rainbow clouds on a walk just before sunset yesterday. Apparently they’re called Nacreous clouds.

I was spellbound I have to say.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Pockthorpe

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

I heard on the radio yesterday that these clouds are 60,000 feet high! 

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,428]

15 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

I heard on the radio yesterday that these clouds are 60,000 feet high! 

Blimey!

[Herman 9,825]

A rather pleasant day at Kew Gardens yesterday for an exhibition and a wander. Some great Victorian architecture and a glorious Mexican Swamp Cypress. I didn't get a photo of the massive Sequoia though.

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Herman

[Herman 9,825]

I'm not sure what is going on but we have a mass gathering of Red Kites above work this morning. At least 10, maybe more. 

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,428]

9 minutes ago, Herman said:

I'm not sure what is going on but we have a mass gathering of Red Kites above work this morning. At least 10, maybe more. 

Wow! That must be a heck of a sight.

Probably venturing out after a couple of days hunkering down out of the way of the bad weather.

[Herman 9,825]

1 minute ago, Wings of a Sparrow said:

Wow! That must be a heck of a sight.

Probably venturing out after a couple of days hunkering down out of the way of the bad weather.

There's been a gathering before but that was when the farmer was ploughing his fields. All rather quiet today though. Must be weather related. 👍

[BurwellCanary 216]

some of these seen hovering over the NR1 Boardroom

 

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

27 minutes ago, BurwellCanary said:

some of these seen hovering over the NR1 Boardroom

 

[sonyc 5,541]

54 minutes ago, Wings of a Sparrow said:

Wow! That must be a heck of a sight.

Probably venturing out after a couple of days hunkering down out of the way of the bad weather.

I think you may be right there. This morning there's been two lots of Sparrowhawks over the moors (a pair and a threesome) next to two small woods where they live. There's a bit of a easterly which they're using to soar against. Clearly, winter means greater hunger and the mice need to be careful! They don't half screech when in the trees. Seem noisier than Jays!

We've also a Barn Owl that you see every now and then. Sits on the stone walls and dives into the grassy ground. I think it's my favourite bird to see (is there such a thing really?)  because for me anyway, a rare sight. Much like a Kingfisher. 

The nuts and blocks of suet are now strung out in the back garden. At last winter has properly arrived and such easy and convenient food sources are very popular.

Anyway, that's my nature summary for January 😌

 

Edited January 9 by sonyc

[BurwellCanary 216]

22 hours ago, sonyc said:

I think you may be right there. This morning there's been two lots of Sparrowhawks over the moors (a pair and a threesome) next to two small woods where they live. There's a bit of a easterly which they're using to soar against. Clearly, winter means greater hunger and the mice need to be careful! They don't half screech when in the trees. Seem noisier than Jays!

We've also a Barn Owl that you see every now and then. Sits on the stone walls and dives into the grassy ground. I think it's my favourite bird to see (is there such a thing really?)  because for me anyway, a rare sight. Much like a Kingfisher. 

The nuts and blocks of suet are now strung out in the back garden. At last winter has properly arrived and such easy and convenient food sources are very popular.

Anyway, that's my nature summary for January 😌

 

Had this visitor in my back garden yesterday

- I think its a sparrowhawk

 

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,192]

It´s happened again!

One small fissure has opened up inside the defences that were built, and has claimed it´s first house. The lava outside the defences has largely been kept at bay so far. We will have to wait and see how much damage is caused.

Everyone that was still in the town were evacuated early this morning

Last Wednesday, one poor soul, who was working on filling in one of the cracks that formed late last year, disappeared. It is thought that somehow the crack opened up and he fell 20 metres plus into the ground. They looked for 2 days but there was no sign of him. It was a really difficult search as the crack was very narrow at the top, and also rocks would fall in

 

[dylanisabaddog 4,987]

18 hours ago, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

It´s happened again!

One small fissure has opened up inside the defences that were built, and has claimed it´s first house. The lava outside the defences has largely been kept at bay so far. We will have to wait and see how much damage is caused.

Everyone that was still in the town were evacuated early this morning

Last Wednesday, one poor soul, who was working on filling in one of the cracks that formed late last year, disappeared. It is thought that somehow the crack opened up and he fell 20 metres plus into the ground. They looked for 2 days but there was no sign of him. It was a really difficult search as the crack was very narrow at the top, and also rocks would fall in

 

Being discussed on R5 now. Are you OK?