Wiggly and hairy

After a six mile New Year's Day walk (which nearly crippled our rather aged dogs), we decided to tackle something a little more gentle today, and went up to Old Sulehay Wood. Chris wanted to try out the new camera he'd got for Christmas, and this seemed a suitable place, with the prospect of gnarled trees, mosses and a fair variety of birds.

Unfortunately, the sunshine promised by the Met Office was very short-lived, and there were the usual grey skies for most of our walk. We had good views of a red kite, as well as a range of smaller birds including woodcock, tree creeper, goldcrest, bullfinch and jay.

I felt I needed a colouful image today, so selected this close-up of Hairy Stereum Stereum hirsutum, a common fungus of deciduous trees, which was abundant all over a fallen oak. I love the shapes made by the fruiting bodies, the deep yellow colour and the hairiness that gives it both its English and Latin name.