Pyrtle Spring in November

We went back to Pyrtle Spring yesterday to see how things had changed since our last visit a month ago. The leaves had dropped from the huge horse chestnuts that cling to the steep banks of the spring, making it feel bare and exposed. It was very different to the green fortress that hid the spring only a month ago.

Once inside we were excited to see whether there would be any water in the spring. I was hopeful there may be some as it seems to have rained a lot recently, but I guess the water table is still low after the summer, as the bottom of the spring was muddy, but had no water in it.

A dry spring is still fun and Bug Mad Girl and Rosie the dog had a lot of fun racing up and down the slippery banks, jumping in the mud and balancing on logs.

We found a few nice fungi growing in the spring. I was expecting to find more though as the damp conditions and fallen logs would seem to make it the perfect spot.

A delicate little fungus, possibly a pleated inkcap.

Jelly ear - such a descriptive name for a fungus!

King Alfred's cakes - named because they are supposed to resemble burnt
buns. You can see the newly grow brown 'cakes' on the right. These turn
blackand charcoal like when they mature, as shown on the left.

Fairy inkcaps hiding under a log

Coral spot

Bracket fungus growing all the way up a tree trunk

 Bug Mad Girl has her eagle eyes on and spotted a group of woodpecker holes right at the top of one of the trees.

As we were leaving we found a ladybird in the grass. I think it was probably a harlequin ladybird, but it had unusual black and white markings.

Then a flock of seagulls flew up from one of the nearby fields. We don't see many seagulls around here, so it was quite a site. I suspect a red kite had mobbed them and disturbed them as there were also several kites circling over head.