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BREAKING NEWS: October 2013
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| 31 October: At last the fens are livening up. North Fen by Galls Drain. Flock about 60-80 (difficult to tell because many kept dropping into nearby stubble and rape. Included Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Corn Buntings and Greenfinches with some Goldfinches passing through. We sat in car half-hour maybe more just watching and were well rewarded with pair kestrels and…first Merlin of winter. Frightened life out of Finches etc but not seen to catch one. 4 Yellowhammers nearby in hedgerow. Long Drove First Fieldfares for winter. About 80-100. They were not very active resting in tall trees and not very noisy either. Probably just arrived and tired after long flight. Dambank. Large flock of Linnets (2-300)still there and feeding in Sugar Beet. Also 11 Grey Partridges. PM & ID Just a little personal foray along wooded Hinton Hedges found 3 very common types. 1. Peniophora Quercus. 2 Wood Mushroom. Agaricus silvicola. 3. Yellowlegs Bonnet. Mycena epipterygia. PM.    Just a couple of record shots of a bird full of character. Little Owl perched on farm buildings. So we were quite happy all things said and done! PM   |
26 October: 1. Shaggy Parasol Macrolepiota racodes fungi underneath Leylandii in Lode Way. 2a,b. The fungi previously thought to be Common Funnel has now been re-assessed as Fiery Milkcap, Lactarius pyrogalis. When broken open it exuded a milk like liquid so that made it in the Lactarius family. Although the milk was not tasted, further research found that Fiery Milkcap only grew in close proximity to Hazel trees/bushes. In my garden is a long established Hazel and the fungi is growing in the grass close to it. Guidebooks and online guide sites all came to the final conclusion. PM   |
21 October: 1 Black Nightshade in garden. Yes its a weed but also is a British wild flower. 2. fungi found in garden not yet identified (any help will be welcome). I think it may be Common Funnel (Clitocybe gibba) - but see entry for 26 October (2a,b) above re identification. PM.   |
| 19 October: I went along Clayton’s Drove and Adventurer’s Head Drove and saw 5 Buzzards in one recently ploughed field. There were plenty of gulls, but no sign of Med Gull. Also, plenty of Linnets, only c. 50 Lapwing and no buntings at all. Simon. |
16 October: Old Burial Ground. Freda's plaque and Freda's seat in Old Burial Ground. View of Lime tree Avenue. PM  |
| 15 October: Dambank 250-300 Linnets so need to look out for Merlin? 30 LBB gulls and Ad winter Mediterranean Gull flying around picking up food in fields. Moved south so don't know if its still around. Mixed finch flock about 50 at end of Long Drove. 150+/- Lapwings. Late Swallow also 4-5 Grey Partridges, may have been more because they moved in and out of tall cover. Too much farmer activity going on for Golden Plovers but did see largish flock flighting towards Ouse Washes. PM & ID |
13 October: Old Burial Ground Workparty found this Verdigris Toadstool while clearing up. Found by Gill Smith in butterfly garden section. It would have started much bluer in colour but has now faded. It is inedible and mildly poisonous. Stropharia aeruginosa. PM  |
| 8 October: Trip round the droves with Sheila yesterday produced,1000+ Lapwing and 500+ golden plovers along Long Drove.12+ house martins and a dozen or more grey partridge along Hog Drove. 500+ Golden Plover flying over Grunty Fen. We also saw 5 Buzzard and 3 Kestrel, not bad for a couple of hours. Ian. |
| 6 October: 1. Ian and Shiela Dickerson found the Great Crested Newt by accident when removing an old Growbag 2. This Goat Moth caterpillar was found when Friends of Haddenham group prepared the Old Mound on The Ramparts, Haddenham for seeding with wildflowers. PM   |
| 5 October: Adult Peregrine chasing Lapwing and Golden Plover Flock East of Twenty Pence Road, 1 ? miles South of Wilburton at 16.00. Golden plover flock approx. +60 birds. Chris Boness. |
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