Author Archives: Barbara

Dibbinsdale, 15th March 2015

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Barbara

Today was cloudy and overcast, and still quite chilly, but the sun was promised later.  A singing Robin welcomed us to Dibbinsdale, and as we descended the steps we also saw a Great Tit, a Blackbird and a Magpie. Far … Continue reading →

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Old Roan to Rice Lane, 8th March 2015

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Barbara

It was a wet morning for our seventh section of the Trans-Pennine Trail, although the forecast was that it would clear up about lunchtime. This is a very peculiar bit of the trail, awkwardly connecting a small bit of traffic-free … Continue reading →

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Waterloo, 1st March 2015

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Barbara

This morning I walked to Waterloo from my home in Crosby, through Victoria Park. The long hedge (about 100m) at the south-east corner is full of chirping House Sparrows, so it must be a large colony, with many dozens of … Continue reading →

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Parkgate, 22nd February 2015

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Barbara

There was a high tide at Parkgate today, but the weather wasn’t promising.  It was overcast when we met and was supposed to rain hard all day, although the weather maps on the BBC showed a small clear patch in … Continue reading →

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New Brighton, 15th February 2015

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Barbara

What a lovely bright day it was, feeling very warm in the sun, but it turned colder when the clouds rolled in later on. We decided to go to New Brighton for two unusual birds. The first one was the … Continue reading →

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Festival Gardens, 11th February 2015

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Barbara

This was one of the MNA’s short walks, from 11am to 1pm, intended to attract newer members, and those that haven’t been out for a while. Eight people turned up, four regulars and four who we don’t see very often, … Continue reading →

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Woolton Woods, 8th February 2015

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Barbara

It was a calm, overcast, foggy day, and the thermometer at North Park said 5°C, nominally colder than last week’s 6°C, but without the wind it felt much milder. We walked through St John’s Precinct and spotted a bird flying … Continue reading →

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Eastham Woods, 1st February 2015

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Barbara

There was a very cold north wind today, making it feel much colder than the 6°C claimed on the display at North Park, Bootle. We decided to go for the relative shelter of Eastham Woods. On the Lever sports field … Continue reading →

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Winter wonderland

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Barbara

Tony Carter reports: I am frequently asked what mycologists do in the winter when fungi do not grow. But they do. Winter is when the bracket and crust fungi come into their own, many shedding their spores at this time … Continue reading →

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A fungal find at Calderstones

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Barbara

Tony Carter reports : On Tuesday 13th March I went for a quick walk round Calderstones Park before the threatened snow arrived. Under some Cupressus leylandii, at the Menlove Avenue end, I found a small patch of the Striate Earthstar Geastrum striatum … Continue reading →

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