Down at the duck pond...

Yesterday I went to the local duck pond. Here is a short collection of clips I took:

It seems like the female coot was more interested in the house work.

It was icy at the pond this morning...

New camera, test footage and a new year!

For the past 18 months, I have been saving and saving for a new camera. And, I have finally bought it. It is a 4K camcorder; so, to test it, I have gone to the local pond to film the local waterfowl. Here it is:

I am happy with the outcome.

Fungi foray

During this week, we went to a new, (to us), nature reserve around our area called Hedgecourt. Hedgecourt is a Surrey Wildlife Trust reserve that stands at 5 hectares, (very small), but packs in a lot for insects. According to the ranger, it is not very good for birds, but then he went on saying that there are bitterns that are seen on the lake. He also told us this is probably the worst time of year to come. That is definitely not true if you are interested in fruiting bodies! Fungi and mushrooms are everywhere! The first tree you come to when accessing the reserve is littered with lots and lots of tiny mushrooms!

Last year, I went to the New Forest, and I found some fungi on a walk. This is the same idea, just a year on. The photos, unlike last year, were taken on a phone.

The first tree I came to

 

 

Next year I will be looking for bitterns!

Jam jar wood.

I had an idea whilst in Brighton for a very cheep and easy project. I am not sure if this has already been done, but I am going to make plant pots out of used jam jars, (or any other types of preserves for that matter), and plant in seeds from trees found near to my home. I have already planted a tree, (conference pear, taken from our very own pear tree), and I hope to see if it works. The idea is so that we can watch the roots grow, as the jar is transparent.

This is what it currently looks like:

I hope to have a pear tree soon!