Sunny

This morning's forecast was for nice weather and warm temperatures, as we had yesterday.  So of course, Malcolm and I found ourselves sheltering from the pouring rain, under one of the old railway bridges.  In contrast, yesterday's walk was completed in sunshine and as our good friend Jayne came to join us for our walk, we decided to make it a long one, taking in Mapperley Village, the Reservoir, Shipley Hill and part of the Woodside Nature Reserve.  Signs of autumn are everywhere, despite the sunny weather.  The Silver Birches (Betula pendula) are yellowing now.

Where fallen trees are decaying, fungi - another unmistakable sign of autumn - are throwing out their parasols.  This Sulphur Tuft fungus was growing on an old, felled Beech tree.

Back home and the garden is also showing signs of autumn.  To one side of the lawn is a patch of Cyclamen flowers.  These always flower long after the leaves have disappeared so the pink flowers are shown to their best advantage.

Almost exactly a year ago, I mentioned an insect which turned up in our garden and one which was new to me  (See Here).  The Long-winged Conehead (Conocephalus discolor) is a large grasshopper which until recently, has only been found close to the south coast if Britain.  Over the last few years however, the range of this insect has spread further north and, strangely, at about the same time as last year, one turned up in our garden again yesterday.