Fly Agaric

Fly agaric toadstool  (Amanita muscaria) in Keil's Den at the weekend. This is an older specimen specimen which has flattened out and has lost its bright red colour from the margin. Although unlikely to be fatal fly agaric is highly poisonous.

 These next two photos were taken some years ago in the Black Wood of Rannoch.

I think this photo was taken in the Lake District near Aire Force. Again it was some years ago. It shows the more typical bright red colour. The younger specimens have a domed shape.

A New Bridge in Keil's Den

The first glimpse of the new bridge through the trees.

A splendid new wooden footbridge has been built at the southern end of Keil's Den. There was a crossing here on stepping stones at this point but latterly they had become very uneven and slippery and virtually impossible if the burn was in spate..

The bridge from the eastern side.

The view upstream from the middle of the bridge.

The bridge from the western side.

A picturesque view looking back at the bridge.

Using the bridge in the middle, the road bridge at the top of the den and this new bridge several different circular walks can now be enjoyed. The den is managed by the Woodland Trust Scotland but the bridge was funded with a generous donation from a frequent visitor to the den.

Leven Festival Gardens

Pleasant, peaceful gardens towards the east end of Leven promenade but on the opposite side of the road. On entering the garden the most striking thing is the stone memorial to the contribution that Polish Paratroopers made in the Second World War and in particular to their part in the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944.

The memorial was erected on the 20th Anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1964. This month the 70th Anniversary is being commemorated. A new memorial to mark this event is going to be unveiled in the garden later this month.

The 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was formed in October 1941 at Largo House, Upper Largo under the command of General (then Colonel) Sosabowski. They trained in the grounds of the house and in the surrounding district.

Pelican's Foot Shell

Pelican's foot shell (Aporrhais pespelecani)

Used to find quite a number of these on the beach in Largo but this is the first one that I've found for a while. The main body of the shell is a whorled spire but the shell opening has an extended lip, shaped like the webbed foot of a bird and drawn out into four points. This one was 3.5cm. long although they can be up to 5cm. in length. I suspect this shell has been weathered by time and tide as the points have become very rounded. It's a sublittoral deep water species not normally found living on the shore.

Small Copper Butterfly

A small copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) basking in the sun amongst hawthorn berries, alongside the old railway track in Lower Largo. A bright attractive tiny butterfly, this one has lost a little bit of its hind wing.

Shaggy Parasol Mushroom

Another mushroom from a recent visit to the woods in Falkland Estate. There are several parasol mushrooms but these looked most like the shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes). Rhacodes is a mispelling of the greek rhakos or rhacos which means 'piece of cloth'. The cap is at first egg-shaped then opens flat and the outer skin breaks up into shaggy brown scales on a cream background. The stem is white.

Yellow Stag's Horn Fungus

Yellow Stag's Horn Fungus (Calocera viscosa) growing on dead wood in the Falkland Estate. It is a bright yellow, many branched jelly fungus which is abundant on conifer stumps and fallen trunks.