Dog Vomit Slime Mould

Hello

Eleanor was in the Daventry area again today and saw four Ravens near Staverton. Daventry Country Park hosted at least ten Goosanders, a Green Sandpiper and about twenty Siskins. Many of the Siskins were attracted to feeders by the visitors centre and showing very well in the winter sunshine.

An adult female Peregrine was plucking prey with great gusto in a field between the villages of Long Buckby and Buckby Wharf, the possible prey item being a Fieldfare. A brief stop at Ravensthorpe Reservoir confirmed the continued presence of the Great White Egret and a single Green Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

First impressions of this 'mess' on a track-side
 verge near the village of Old are not great!
However on closer inspection it transpires that
this is a mass of living organisms making up a
congealed slime mould with the latin name of
'Mucilago crustacea', sometimes called 'Dog
Vomit Slime Mould'. Diane Freeman found a
number of these specimens and I'm grateful to Jeff
Blincow for confirming the identity.

Grey Heron

Male Chaffinch in winter plumage

Dunnock.
The archetypical 'lbj' (little brown job)!

Above three images all courtesy
of Jacob Spinks (another local
photographer with a new lens)!