This weekend we have been running our 'Amazing Autumn' event - one of my favourites! and for the most part the weather has been kind to us, giving us lots of time to go outside searching for fungus, crunchy leaves and making homes for mammals and insects for the winter. The fungus hunts have been very interesting, turning up at least 20 different species (some of which we can't identify and some which we can!) including honey fungus, sulphur tuft, common puffballs, milkcaps & birch bracket fungus (otherwise known as a polypore). Some other interesting finds have included plenty of toadlets still finding their way, and fox, deer and vole footprints, as well as the obvious and pugent smell of a fox that has been territory marking.
In our craft room we have been making new displays for the tower entrance hall, by decorating a variety of leaf shapes. We have also been making autumn garlands using leaf rubbings, which have worked really well!
At the feeding station today we have been seeing a lot of house sparrows, between 15 - 20 at any one time! And 6 goldfinches all hanging onto the clinger feeder is a wonderful sight as well.
Friday and Saturday evening were also National Moth Night. For those that don't know, NMN falls at a different time each year, as moths have such varied flight seasons that one date wouldn't capture enough information. So this year the dates fell at the start of autumn, in the hopes of catching some of the beautifully camouflaged autumnal moths. Friday night did not disappoint, with 15 species including Canary Shouldered Thorn, Pink Barred Sallow and Sallow - showing their beautiful autumn colours - "They look just like leaves!" one child exclaimed. As for Saturday, as some of you may have felt at home, the temperature dropped, so there were only a few moths in the trap this morning, but a good number and variety over the two nights. For more information about National Moth Night, visit http://www.nationalmothnight.info/.
Canary Shouldered Thorn and Pink Barred Sallow, by Paula Baker 2009