12th October - a touch of ground frost first then, then sunny 12C

Back at Willey it was good to see the regular birds at the feed station, several Greenfinch and Chaffinch, a Nuthatch, Coal Tit, several House Sparrows but still only one Tree Sparrow.  A Mistle Thrush was eating Yew berries and at least two Chiffchaff were still around the Church cemetery and back lane area.  These liked to search the thick Ivy that has late flowers and berries and is a magnet to insects.  As the sun shone on the Ivy at lease three Speckled Wood flitted about and fed on the flowers.

Two Pied and one Grey Wagtail were flying around the village, whilst earlier eight Skylarks flew over westward.

On the Hedgehog front Jo-An has told me that she often sees at least one.  So, it does seem we have a small breeding population in the east central area of the village.  The question is, are there any on the west side of the village ? Let me know if you see one.


While in Norfolk I found the following fungi at Friary Hills.  Firstly, a 'Shaggy (ink) Cap' or 'Lawyers Wig', then a 'Shaggy Parasol', this was one of the largest I've seen, a good 10 inches diameter.  Neither are rare, but the right habitat is needed to find them.

While sea-watching a bug landed on my scope, I've not yet identified it by name but still quite impressive.
It seems to be a bug called Pithanus maerkelii, it does not have a common name.  If it is this, then it is quite late as the season is usually given as June to August.