10 Snipe views.

A close view of 2 Snipe today – so no waffle just pictures to enjoy.

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Birds and Boats.

Birds and boats at Calshot spit.

Tugs going out to meet a tanker approaching the start of Southampton water. The tug boat Phenix is one of a pair regularly seen meeting shipping coming into port. The other tug is the The Apex. These tugs have a high bridgewith 360 degree views -(although the Phenix’s bow is head up Southampton Water she is going backwards out of port in my pictures).

The shingle spit at Calsholt is home in the winter for many Dunlin and Ringed Plovers and the sheltered water behind the spit is favoured by wintering Brent Geese. Like across Southampton Water on Meon shore you are never far from a few Turnstone’s.

Ringed Plovers and Dunlin blend in well with the single.

Ringed Plover.

Fly-past Plovers and Dunlin.

We got a nice view of a single Brent Goose which was having some alone time away from the flock.

The Turnstone were braving the incoming waves to catch Sand-hopper’s being pushed on to the beach.

Up & off.

Looking for a Kingfisher over the bridge on Titchfield Haven harbour I was surprised to see a Grey Heron. No Kingfisher sadly but a good view of this big fella.

Halloween Special.

Spooky looking fungus.

Yellow Finger Coral Mushroom. (Clavulinopsis fusiformis)

The candle snuff fungus, also known as the ‘Stag’s Horn’,(Xylaria hypoxylon,) 

Fly Agaric

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)

An easily recognised fungus that gives a flash of colour on the woodland floor. It should not be eaten.

People experimenting with drugs have dried fly agaric fruiting bodies in order to evoke hallucinations. Visual and auditory hallucinations. I have also read urine of Reindeer which have eaten fly agaric has been drunk by people in Lapland as a hallucinogenic – but how you get urine out of a Reindeer may be difficult!

Panthercap.

Panthercap -Amanita pantherina.

Quite a rare to find in Britain, the Panthercap They are more common in southern Europe. Its close resemblance to the edible blusher mushroom has caused many a forager to accidentally ingest a panther cap. It causes hallucinations and sickness, and in some cases may be fatal. location New Forest.

I am not a fungi expert and fungi it is particularly challenging when it comes to identifying fungi as they come in a huge variety of species and sub-species. In the UK, we have about 4500 species of fungi. About 200 are edible, 50 poisonous and the rest are inedible or tasteless.

A Deceiver.

Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystina)

Ratty takes a dip.

Watching a young rat around Titchfield harbour he decided to drop down the harbour wall to get into a hole. He misjudged it and ended up in the harbour. No problem. Rats can swim or wade in the water for up to three days without drowning!

I am slipping !!!!!

PLOP!!!

It was further up than down!

home safe!

Heron with Eel meal.

By the water.

Sanderling’s on the shore. A picture post from Meon Shore on Friday 15th October.