A Large Bracket Fungus

Noticed that this diseased tree in the Serpentine Walk which has had its upper branches sawn off had a large bracket fungus growing from the side of the trunk.

 The underside was creamy-yellow.

It was too high up on the tree to see the upper side properly but I think that it's an example of Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus) so called because it looks like a seat for a dryad or wood-nymph..

Fog Bank Over the Forth

Looking towards Methil only the top of the large wind turbine can be seen above the fog bank. It looks quite eerie.

 Looking out to sea the fog bank seen from the Massney Braes ...

 ... and from the pier at Lower Largo.

From the old railway track looking over the roof tops across the Forth can just see the tops of the oil platforms.

Wood Pigeon Nesting

There is a wood pigeon  nesting in the eucalyptus tree in our garden. The nest appears to be just a loose collection of twigs and looks extremely precarious.

Barnacle Rock Patterns

Barnacles almost completely covering a rock on Lower Largo beach producing amazing patterns of different colours and sizes.

On the sea side of the rock the barnacles are interspersed with bright green seaweed.

The barnacle covered rock with the Crusoe Hotel behind.

Broken Egg Shell

This broken egg shell was lying close to the path in the Serpentine Walk. From the brown colour and size (about the same size as a small hen's egg) think that it is probably from a pheasant's egg. Female pheasants tend to nest under hedges or in tall grass and this was close to the hedgerow at the edge of the field bordering the footpath. Quite often see and hear pheasants in that field. Hopefully the chick will have successfully hatched from the egg.

The hedgerow at the field edge in the Serpentine walk.

Larch Raspberries

Developing cones on a larch tree in the Serpentine Walk. At first glance they look rather like ripening raspberries. Some of last years cones can also be seen.

A Miscellany of Birds

Going on holiday to different parts of the country gives an opportunity to see different birds.  These were kittiwakes at Staithes on the North Yorkshire Coast.

Cowbar Nab at Staithes where the kittiwakes were nesting.  Herring gulls nest on the top of the rock and lower down house martins were also present whizzing in and out of their mud nests.

A red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa). Partridges nest on Spaunton Moor but this one had strayed into a garden in Lastingham.

 Near the lake Studley Royal a pair of Swedish Blue Ducks.

There are plenty of pheasants around Largo but not usually as willing as these at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal to have their photos taken.

 A handsome male pheasant.

Two female pheasants. Less brightly coloured than the male but still attractive birds.