7th November - Pigeons and Fungi

Field mushrooms and immature parasols

The weather remains as it has done for days, overcast and cool with intermittent drizzle. The slight drop in temperature is almost certainly responsible for the large number of migrant pigeons which appear to be coming into to the area, but it will be the ready availability of food, mostly acorns which will keep them here. This morning, instead of the 200 strong flock I saw yesterday, twice that number poured into the oaks across the field and as I watched them my eye was simultaneously drawn to the far distance where thousands of pigeon-like specks of dust on the breeze drifted along the ridge. An exceptional crop of mast and the early arrival of pigeons in large numbers are the unmistakable hallmarks of a spectacular pigeon season in the offing and it is hard not to feel excited about the prospect. It was around six years ago when I last stood above the Bramley orchard watching big flocks, each containing thousands of birds, flow smoothly into a huge swirling torrent of Woodys which swept and twisted about the valley in search of a roost site. Every so often it was as if a plug had been pulled from the swirling mass.  Within the torrent,  eddies of counter-movement would begin and quickly develop  into spiralling cones of birds which drained without trace into the dark woodland below. It was a remarkable spectacle and I spent many afternoons admiring it, whilst knocking down a few acorn laden birds for the pot.

Following the pigeon theme, one of today's jobs was to breast out the three pigeons which I shot yesterday. They were in fine condition and the fat deposits below their crops spoke of mild weather and plentiful food. Other tasks included the long overdue planting of Aquadulce broad beans in the garden and bringing the cider inside to encourage fermentation but still Em and I found time to take G for a stroll to pick up a few mushrooms. Meadows where last year we gathered field mushrooms by the trug full were strangely devoid of fungi but more had emerged around the old muck lump site since I was last there and we didn't go back empty-handed. Beneath the line of field grown oaks we even found a handful of immature parasol mushrooms, common enough usually, but something of a rarity this season. We passed hundreds of liberty caps dotting the north facing bank above the stately trees, but they remained unpicked and we trudged on to enjoy our haul fried up in plenty of butter and served with warm toast.