Friday 19th October 2012 - Springfield Park & Shenstone

On my way out this morning I decided to pop to Springfield Park in Kidderminster to photograph a particular fungi, the Blue Roundhead.  I had been given the heads up by a friend, Cass, who had taken some cracking photos of them there the previous week and decided I would go and have a look at them myself.

The Blue Roundheads were growing on wood chippings that were on the ground surrounding some young trees.  I took a few photos of these blue/green slimy capped fungi before embarking on a bit of a walk around the area for a general mooch. 

In the trees next to the car park were 4 Siskins were flitting about making a racket (in the way only Siskins can).  Also of note was the incredible number of Blackbirds that were present on the scrubby bank to the NE of the car park. There were at least 40+ Blackbirds present in this small area busily feeding.  Many of which were 1st winter birds with dark bills and most likely new arrivals from Scandinavia.

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As time drew on I decided to hit my local patch and boy what a contrast.  It was so quite there that I was half expecting a ball of tumbleweed to blow past me like in the old westerns.

Stanklyn Lane was the most productive area where I noted a single Raven on a pylon, 1 Common Buzzard and a Jay.  A single Red Admiral was also recorded.

Heath Lane was just as desperate with the only notables being a single Mistle Thrush in the paddock and a solitary Small Tortoiseshell.

The only positive I could take from this part of the day was the fact that I managed to relocate the Lapwing flock, just off patch, at Podmore.  There were 78 Lapwings present in total and there is every chance that they will drift back on patch over coming weeks.

Blue Roundhead (Stropharia caerulea)