Deer

After the storm.

/ Andy Finnegan / 5 Comments

The storm passed through without incident over Southampton but our coast got a bashing.

So with the calm a few hours back in the New Forest.

A good-looking Roebuck.

And a small heard of young Fallow Deer.

I wanted to take another look at the Devil’s Fingers fungus to see if any more of the eggs had erupted. There were about 10 eggs last week but only one had “hatched”. Normally fungi develop quickly so I thought more would have been showing – perhaps the cold wet weather had slowed down their development, so I will try again next week to see if there is more movement.

A feast of fungus.

/ Andy Finnegan / 5 Comments

A feast of fungus – although many are not edible. – Another New Forest walk looking for fungi. This time I have tried to name my finds – I am no expert so I am not 100% sure about all the naming if you spot an error please let me know. The common names may differ in different countries or areas.

I will start with one we all know the stunning FLY AGARIC (AMANITA MUSCARIA)

This fungus looks like a brain ! but is locally known as the WOOD CAULIFLOWER (SPARASSIS CRISPA).

Another great colour fungus which seems abundant this year is the AMETHYST DECEIVER (LACCARIA AMETHYSTINA).

COMMON EARTHBALLS (SCLERODERMA CITRINUM). Often confused with puff balls which are similar but tend to be smoother and pure white in colour.

SLIPPERY JACK (SUILLUS BREVIPES). Is a fungus with spores on its underside rather than gills.

PRIMOSE BRITTLEGILL (RUSSULA SARDONIA). Another purple fungus.

Bright yellow and given the common name of GOLDEN SCALYCAP (PHOLIOTA AURIVELLA). The colour can be a bright golden yellow to rusty brown with a slimy or greasy surface covered in darker-brown scales that sometimes wash off in the rain.

While walking we spotted this fine Sika Stag.

Nature spots at Bratley View.

/ Andy Finnegan / 1 Comment

5-mile circular walk into the New Forest from Bratley View.

We started the day ringing Forestry England to report fly-tipping of Kitchen White goods into the National Park from the car park sadly this year there seems to be an increase in this anti-social behaviour. As we are out early we see what has been dumped the previous night, at least once a week we see something. People even dump cars and set them on fire this buggy was reported a few weeks ago!

Below a young Fallow deer she was very interested in us so I was not sure if she had seen people before.

Male Stonechat.

Spotted a few distant Red Deer.

Safe Crossing.

/ Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

Murray’s passage in the New Forest is a safe crossing across a boggy valley of Backley Plain – It is named after Admiral Murray who, in 1901, was killed whilst out hunting on 17th September 1901. The construction of the passage was paid for by monies donated to his memory. It is commemorated on a nearby engraved stone.

Roe Deer and Beekeeping on Backley Plain.

Small Copper Butterfly.

Evening walk.

/ Andy Finnegan / 6 Comments

A local evening walk back to local woodland where we spent a lot of time in lockdown when we were only allowed out to exercise. Our exercise was not jogging up and down the road but walking down the road and exercising by monitoring the local nature. Exercising the brain as well as the body.

A local Roebuck.

I am not sure if we spotted him 1st or if he spotted us 1st but I think he was the winner! This good buck is an animal we regularly see and we are sure he is the alpha male in the local woodland.

Far off across a field a family of foxes, playing in the evening sun in the open 6 cubs with mum. We watched them playing for 10 minutes Mum had spotted us quickly and kept an eye on us while the cubs played. When it was time to go she barked telling them it was time to go – and off they ran into the woods.