About a dozen members accompanied Andrew Bluett on a walk around the Nag’s Head RSPB Reserve at Parkend in the Forest of Dean on a bright and sunny, modestly warm (circa 10 o C) morning with large areas of blue sky between the scattered clouds.
Autumn was very much in the air with leaves that had turned from green to a range of yellows, russets and reds, it was rather wet underfoot though not so much that a stout pair of boots couldn’t cope.
Wildlife was rather thin on the ground, a couple of Grey Squirrels (Scirius carolinensis) were seen, birds that were mostly heard rather than seen included Blackbird (Turdus merula) , Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Erithracus rubecula), Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), Jay (garrulous glandarius), Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Nuthatch (Sitta europea), Great Tit (Parus major), a solitary Siskin (Carduelis spinus), Crossbill (Loxia
curvirostra) and Goldcrest (Regulus regulus).
Around the reserve building there was evidence of the presence of feral Boar (Sus scrofa) but no sightings either of them, or of the occasionally seen Fallow Deer (Dama dama). In various places along the walk that took in some time at the Lower Hide overlooking the two pools there were various species of fungus including Candle Snuff (Xylaria hypoxylon) and different types of small brackets and Polypores on dead wood.