Mid-October 2012

10 October 2012
I had no intention to visit Mill Hill when I left but a brief spell of sunshine and I made a detour. A Buzzard soared over the southern part of Mill Hill Nature Reserve and drifted over the New Erringham pasture to the east. A cloud obscured the warm rays of the sun when I descended to the lower slopes from the southern end. After the rain of the previous few days, I was not surprised to see both the algae Nostoc Commune and the White Dapperling mushroom on the lower slopes. On the bare patch south of the Reservoir a very large mushroom rose above the dirt. I could not see a volva which ruled out Volvariella gloiocephala. I am not sure what species it is?  There were also small clumps of Stropharia coronilla (probable ID) nearby.

Carline Thistle	Autumn Gentian		Unidentified Mushroom  (without a volva)

I noted three Meadow Brown Butterflies, a Red Admiral and a Comma. The latter was disturbed when I was collecting blackberries and I did not see it until it moved after I picked the blackberry it was on. At least one Common Darter dragonfly was seen over the lower slopes.