Red Tree Brain and other Mushrooms at Lambton Woods / October 2, 2019

This morning’s walk was done in constant rain and a temperature of 17 degrees.

We did have a good selection of birds.

Species list: double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, American black duck, mallard, ring-billed gull, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, blue jay, American crow, black-capped chickadee, ruby-crowned kinglet, black-throated green warbler, house sparrow, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, song sparrow.  (17 species)

Northern Cardinal (female)
American Black Duck (female)
House Sparrows (female)
Double-crested Cormorant
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron

Park scenes:

I am not the only one who enjoys a fresh apple:

Squirrel with apple

Some botany:

Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Soapwort (Saponaria officinales)

The real stars of the morning were a diverse group of mushroom family members:

Tinder Polypore also called Hoof Fungus
Elm Oyster Mushroom
Honey Mushrooms
Honey Mushrooms
Red Tree Brain
Birch Polypore

This morning’s group:

BIRDWATCHING ANECDOTE

One June evening, my wife and I were driving at about 60 mph on a four lane highway in the Niagara area. I saw a male Baltimore oriole flying across the highway and thought it would be impossible to avoid hitting it. However there was no sound of impact. No feathers flew. I was relieved. The next day I was standing beside my car on a country road. The loud chatter of an oriole came from inside the car. I lifted the hood and out came the oriole, apparently unharmed. (Gerry Bennett)

Baltimore Oriole (male)


Miles Hearn

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