Categories
Club

Kingswood Brake

Spindle berries (M. Collins)

Jill T writes:


Sunday the 13th of October: thirteen members of the Field Club set out, on a cool but sunny morning, for a short walk around the Ditchley Park environs. While waiting for all the group to arrive, we had already noted Hedge cranesbill and Knapweed in still flower and a Jay flying overhead, a promising start.


Setting off through a wood known as Kingswood Brake, we observed numerous species of fungi, only a few of which we were able to identify. Particularly striking were a White Saddle (Helva crispa) and
some Magpie Inkcaps (Coprinus picacea). We also recognised Candlesnuff (Xylaria hypoxylon),Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), some large colonies of Sulphur tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare) and
what I believe were White fibrecaps (Inocybe geophylla). The Wood was mainly broad leaved trees such as oak, birch and some impressive poplars standing in waterlogged ground.

White Saddle (M. Collins)
Sulphur Tuft (M. Collins)
Candlesnuff Fungus (M. Collins)
Magpie Inkcap (M. Collins)

Coming out of the wood we crossed an open field where we could see what we thought were Roe deer in the distance and were then surprised by a Spitfire passing overhead (probably one of the replicas flying out of Enstone).

Further on the path joined a farm lane, open field to one side, with a splendid free standing Oak, and a hedgerow to the other giving a colourful display of Spindleberry and Black Bryony berries. Here we
noticed more fungi including a Pleated Inkcap (Parasola plicatilis), identified by its depressed crown with orange/brown disc, also a very red Robin’s Pincushion. A Buzzard landed in the stubble field
presumably in search of earthworms. Passing Grim’s Dyke Farmhouse the verge was brightened by a display of scarlet Field Poppies and yellow Nipplewort.

Robin’s pincushion gall (M. Collins)
Pale tussock moth caterpillar (M.Collins)
Everyone found something different to look at! (M.Collins)

Our next turn took us along a road bordering the large open field we had crossed earlier and leaving this road, with a view of the Park gates to our right, we saw a small herd of Fallow Deer to our left. Further on we caught a glimpse of the House itself as we returned to the bridle path and headed back to Kingswood Brake, accompanied by the calls of Green Woodpeckers, and the ascent to the cars.

The species list can be seen here.