Jan Gray’s Project 365-2022

[jangray]

28th October - Pyrancantha Berries

Following on from yesterday, more berries! These are on the Pyracantha bushes in my garden. A favourite source of food for the Blackbirds. We often see them in the winter literally stripping the whole bunch of berries in a matter of minutes.

 

[sinnerjohn]

18th October - Our Monthly Travels
Decided at the last moment to go away for a few days again. This time heading west to Cannock, but on the way today stopped off before the campsite at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Derbyshire. First time we’ve been and were blown away with the beautiful memorials and the serenity of the place. We’re able to take the dogs and managed, I thought to keep them out off the pictures but if you look closely at the RAF memorial, Bertie managed to get in the shadows!

View attachment 186860

Staffordshire if you please

 

[JillyG]

28th October - Pyrancantha Berries

Following on from yesterday, more berries! These are on the Pyracantha bushes in my garden. A favourite source of food for the Blackbirds. We often see them in the winter literally stripping the whole bunch of berries in a matter of minutes.

View attachment 187205

Do they prefer the red ones or the yellow, do you think Jan?

 

[jangray]

Staffordshire if you please

Staffordshire if you please

Oops! Sorry!

 

[jangray]

Do they prefer the red ones or the yellow, do you think Jan?

Hi. At our last house we had all 3 colours (red, orange and yellow). The blackbirds always ate the red ones first then the orange, but often left the yellow. And I’ve noticed a neighbour has a large bush in her front garden of yellow and last year the berries just rotted on the bush so no takers!

 

[jangray]

29th October - Golden Hornet Crab Apples Portrait
Playing around with the portrait facility won the crab apples hanging off the tree. It is absolutely covered this year which the pigeons are thoroughly enjoying. I did make crab apple jelly once from them, but was such a faff and Dave didn’t particularly like it so never again.

 

[jangray]

30th October - The Spindleberry Tree

Love this tree in the autumn. The pretty pink flowers open to reveal this odd looking orange berry. Not edible to us but a favourite with squirrels.

 

[JillyG]

30th October - The Spindleberry Tree

Love this tree in the autumn. The pretty pink flowers open to reveal this odd looking orange berry. Not edible to us but a favourite with squirrels.

View attachment 187284

I’d love to see a photo of the whole tree Jan.

 

[RoseCat]

Hi. At our last house we had all 3 colours (red, orange and yellow). The blackbirds always ate the red ones first then the orange, but often left the yellow. And I’ve noticed a neighbour has a large bush in her front garden of yellow and last year the berries just rotted on the bush so no takers!

Who knew that birds could be so choosy!

 

[jangray]

31st October - Autumn Colours

Went for a walk near Rutland water and came across this tree - such a beautiful colour against the blue sky.

 

[Starzee]

31st October - Autumn Colours

Went for a walk near Rutland water and came across this tree - such a beautiful colour against the blue sky.

View attachment 187343

Looks like yellow sumac.

 

[jangray]

Looks like yellow sumac.

Thanks. Wasn’t sure.

 

[jangray]

1st November - Shaggy Mane Mushroom

Spotted this today open a short village walk with the dogs as it was quite wet. A Shaggy Mane mushroom. It is meant to be edible, but don’t I’ll try it.

 

[ubbyisis]

1st November - Shaggy Mane Mushroom

Spotted this today open a short village walk with the dogs as it was quite wet. A Shaggy Mane mushroom. It is meant to be edible, but don’t I’ll try it.

View attachment 187353

They are delicious. They are even edible raw. But it’s important just to pick the youngest of them as they get more and more inky as they grow. Here where we live they are September fungi. They usually pop up here and there in our garden and on the roadsides.

 

[jangray]

2nd November - Chicken in the Woods
Love the name of this fungi and no idea why it’s called it but great shape and texture.

 

[JillyG]

2nd November - Chicken in the Woods
Love the name of this fungi and no idea why it’s called it but great shape and texture.

View attachment 187386

It’s called that because, apparently, it tastes like chicken when it’s cooked (can you believe?).

 

[jangray]

3rd November - Oyster Mushrooms
This autumn really has caused a bounty of fungi everywhere. These were spotted on an old birch stump.

 

[jangray]

It’s called that because, apparently, it tastes like chicken when it’s cooked (can you believe?).

Don’t think I’ll try them!

 

[JillyG]

Don’t think I’ll try them!

I don’t try any mushroom unless it came in a packet from the supermarket. ubbyisis Eva will think I’m a wimp!

 

[Starzee]

I don’t try any mushroom unless it came in a packet from the supermarket. ubbyisis Eva will think I’m a wimp!

I’m with you!

 

[jangray]

4th November - A Stranger on the Canal
Took the dogs on a walk with my friend and her dog at the canal at Hickling which has a basin. There’s always lots of ducks and swans but today a new duck was spotted. It looks like a very large Mallard, but after looking it up in Google, it looks like a duck called a Rouen which are bred for the food market. Looks like it must have escaped and joined the wild birds!

 

[JillyG]

4th November - A Stranger on the Canal
Took the dogs on a walk with my friend and her dog at the canal at Hickling which has a basin. There’s always lots of ducks and swans but today a new duck was spotted. It looks like a very large Mallard, but after looking it up in Google, it looks like a duck called a Rouen which are bred for the food market. Looks like it must have escaped and joined the wild birds!
View attachment 187435

Wow, look at the size of it! Ducks are the only bird that can interbreed (I think).

 

[terse]

4th November - A Stranger on the Canal
Took the dogs on a walk with my friend and her dog at the canal at Hickling which has a basin. There’s always lots of ducks and swans but today a new duck was spotted. It looks like a very large Mallard, but after looking it up in Google, it looks like a duck called a Rouen which are bred for the food market. Looks like it must have escaped and joined the wild birds!
View attachment 187435

That is a big duck! It may have beaten up its keeper and walked out the front gate.

 

[RoseCat]

Don’t think I’ll try them!

I don’t try any mushroom unless it came in a packet from the supermarket. ubbyisis Eva will think I’m a wimp!

I’m with you!

I would need WAY MORE knowledge to ever feel comfortable harvesting/eating mushrooms… I think growing them myself would be much safer.

 

[RoseCat]

Wow, look at the size of it! Ducks are the only bird that can interbreed (I think).

The wild female mallard I rescued mated with the bigger white duck and her babies are so interesting! They are mostly black with some white, and they have the mallard green on their head/necks. They don’t look anything like either parent.