Even
the most optimistic of the online weather forecasts predicted spells of rain
this morning, but an undaunted group assembled in the Cadman’s Pool carpark and
avoided the rain until the last part of the walk.
The pond only held some Mallard, Canada Geese and a lone Grey Heron. We headed north into Anses Wood. This has some fine old beech and holly trees and we immediately started finding fungi. Many of us had not yet brushed up on our fungi ID skills for the autumn, so there was a degree of guesswork in this list. We found Sulphur Tuft, Earth Ball, a possible Amethyst Deceiver, a Bolete of some kind, the pink/red Beechwood Sickener, and a possible Common Stinkhorn just emerging as an egg-like structure. At the bottom of the hill we found some Green Elfcap on a fragment of fallen wood and there were several Birch Polypores on Birch trees. Butcher’s-broom was growing here, indicating that this is a old piece of woodland.
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| Beechwood Sickener © Jo Dowle |
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| Stinkhorn 'egg' © Jo Dowle |
The
path leads quite steeply downhill past some well-laden crab apple trees to where
we walked alongside the edge of the Hollyhatch Enclosure down to the stream
called Dockens Water. There were a few
muddy patches, but we skirted these as we followed the stream west. There is a lush grassy strip alongside the
stream which meanders pleasantly along the valley bottom. We identified Bog Myrtle, Common Bur-Reed, Marsh
St John’s Wort, Creeping Willow and Marsh Pennywort. A detour was made across a footbridge to
examine the marshy area where we found (not having moved much since the recce
walk 2 days ago) a lovely Raft Spider.
Raft Spider images
Above left © Richard Smith Above right © Glynis Payne
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| Splitgilll © Richard Smith |
The rain started before we reached the beautiful and remote Holly Hatch Cottage which is a Forest Keeper’s residence. Some of the House Martins which nest in the eaves of the cottage were still around and apparently returning to late broods of young in the nests. Some people headed back at this point so just a few carried on into the enclosure. More fungi were seen including Petticoat Mottlegill and a group of small Chanterelles. Apart from the House Martins, few birds were seen, although Spotted Flycatchers and Common Redstarts had been present a few days earlier.
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| Blushing Rosette © Glynis Payne |
On an earth bank we saw a number of solitary bees entering holes and tentatively identified them as Ivy Bees.
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| Ivy Bee © Richard Smith |
The rain stopped as we emerged from the enclosure, where the whole plain was brilliant purple with heather. All three species: Ling, Cross-leaved Heath and Bell Heather were seen along the walk. JD
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| Our route © Crown copyright 2023 Ordnance Survey. Media 006/23. The licence is valid until 31 December 2023 |