on Weir Quay 2

we walked along the footpath going North from Holes Hole, and eventually came upon this stunning view of the river and wetlands looking North towards Cotehele Quay (the grey building towards the top left on the river), and below towards Pentillie Castle on our way back.

on Weir Quay

on a stunningly beautiful day we went for a walk along the Tamar between Weir Quay, Holes Hole and Hooe (the white house in the picture is at the head of the Hooe).

staff notes

starlings are beginning to gather into large flocks, and when they perch on a stave of telegraph wire look like Elizabethan lute music notation.

last of the summer wine 3

and a late red admiral basking in the unusually warm October sun, showing the amazing complexity and subtle colouring of its underwings.

last of the summer wine 2

this is a stinkhorn, usually smelled rather than seen, but this was a very fresh and especially pungent specimen. It spreads its spores by attracting flies which land on the slimy sticky tip and carry the spores away.

last of the summer wine

this jet black mushroom is a chanterelle known as Horn of Plenty or Black Trumpet, and in France as la viande des pauvres (poor man's meat) where it is used in stews. It is an occasional species found on oak and beech leaf litter (note acorn in top photo). This is the first time it has appeared for four years at this particular spot.