October Nature Notes

by David Tidmarsh - 15:17 on 27 October 2013

Kens Nature Notes

As I sit here writing these notes, the rain is lashing against my window and I think back to the glorious summer we had. It’s the sun that makes all the difference; every season is enhanced by some sunshine. So we look forward the dry crispy sunny days of autumn, when even though we have the sun there is little warmth, thank goodness for scarves and gloves.
I have been watching some magic mushrooms, not the kind that blows your mind but ordinary “Ink Caps” these seem to appear by magic very neat and compact, then they open out their cap and suddenly seem to drip away as if acid had been pored on them, and then disappear as quickly as they started.
It must be the diminishing light that triggers the growth of the fungi, very clever when you think that all the action is underground.
The leaves on the trees are now changing colour as the tree withdraws the chlorophyll that gave them the green colour, this process that fascinates me every year was explained on Sundays “Countryfile” programme. I also learned that autumn comes earlier to the north than the south, all because of the diminishing daylight.
Also on the programme it was stated that this year is a “Mast year” and as you look up at the oaks you can see the abundance of acorns which far outweigh your usual harvest, this phenomena occurs every four or five years, apparently.
I will be out looking for the beech mast, this is the beech seeds that have fallen from the trees and I hope have plenty of nuts in them to germinate, I really enjoy seeing seed germinate no matter what seed I have sown, it is a magical transformation of mother natures survival techniques. 
My favourite tree for dramatic changes in leaf colour is the Canadian Maples; these grow in abundance in our area and are really vivid in their autumn colours.
I managed to collect a few “Conkers” last week and got them strung onto string; I found a tree nearby, just beating some other collectors by minutes, It is by far the only way to collect these seed from the Horse chestnut tree, be patient and wait till they drop off the tree, this way you know they are ripe and ready to use. These will be used as our spider deterrent; each conker is threaded onto some string, using about two dozen on each piece of string and hanging them near to doors or windows to deter the spiders. If you look at the sprays that you can buy as spider deterrents they are made from extracts of horse chestnuts!
I am still hunting for Hazel nuts to plant; my usual supply tree isn’t having a mast year like the Oaks but its early days yet, I have planted some oaks already and as soon as it stops raining I will be collecting beech nuts; all being well.
So happy foraging, Ken.

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