October, Golden and Glorious
October sweeps us towards colder, darker days with stunning displays of colour. Mist hangs in the air and the homely bickering starts, to decide when it’s okay to turn the heating on. Digging out those winter boots, warmer coats and cosy scarves is a novelty this month. By January I will have had enough!
I love to see the trees changing colour. A shaft of afternoon sunlight enflames the leaves. Even on a dull day the golden hues gild the grey. The cherry tree at the front of our house is an absolute corker at this time of year.
Autumnal trees at Longshaw
Our cherry tree
Glorious colour
Woodland wanders
The woods are quietly shutting down. There’s a hushed atmosphere broken only by the soft snap of a damp twig underfoot or a scampering squirrel searching for its stash. Carpets of golden leaves silently layer over the muddy underlay.
It’s a great time to see fungi- in the woods or grasslands. Myriads of shapes pop up, encouraged by the warm soil and the moist atmosphere. The Kingdom of Fungi reigns over at least a million species. Underground, the networks of threads grow and spread continuously. When the conditions are right, up pops the fruiting body to release its spores. Fungi relies on plant and animal matter to grow and without it, we’d be up to our eyes in leaf litter. Imagine that on your walk in the woods! It’d be more of an exhausting battle.
Fungi keeps our soils healthy, creates compost for our gardens and offers us mystery, slime, poison and possible death, just in time for Hallowe’en.
Black cats and pumpkins
Ballerina waxcap (credit: National Trust)
The common names of fungi are the stuff of witches’ spells. Amethyst Deceiver, Candlesnuff, Glistening Inkcap and Sulphur Tuft fruit in the woods, where they break down leaves and fallen trees. Across fields or heathlands, you’ll find different types - big flat field mushrooms, or tiny, scarlet waxcaps. My favourite is the Ballerina Waxcap- pearly pink with a cap which cap curls up around the edges like a tutu. What’s not to like about that?! Of course, some fungi is edible but most of it is pretty disgusting to eat. And it’s so hard to know what’s poisonous. I prefer to leave it to the wildlife to decide.
Black History Month
October is Black History Month. Famous botanists and explorers such as Charles Darwin and Alexander von Humboldt sailed around the world finding different species and studying nature, enabling us to understand more about how our planet works. This was a time of slavery, when slaveships often made space for scientists who could pay their way or carried samples for study back to Europe. Enslaved people would have been relied upon for their insight into the natural world but are not given credit for their knowledge. Were ‘new’ species of plants really ‘discovered’? Or were they simply new to the travelling scientists’ record books?
Darwin’s ship, The Beagle
John Edmonstone
John Edmonstone was born into slavery on a Caribbean island which was then called Demarara, now known as Guyana. His name came from his slavemaster. After freedom, John moved to Scotland and learned taxonomy which he taught at Edinburgh University. One of his pupils was Charles Darwin. We don’t hear much about John Edmonstone, but we should know that he was a talented taxidermist and naturalist, one of the great influencers of Darwin’s learning.
Darwin went on to use his taxidermy skills to help develop his theory of evolution, which of course, we are all aware of. The story of John Edmonstone however is scant because of the lack of information recorded, a sad reflection of the lack of value placed on him. How many more incredible lack scientists are hidden from our history? Have a look on this RSPB link to find out more about other black environmentalists that we never hear about.
Hibernating hedgehogs
As you snuggle into your extra warm layers, spare a thought for the hedgehogs, who will be looking for little places to hibernate. Have you got space to make a hedgehog shelter in your garden and provide an easy route to get to it? There’s a great, easy to follow page on the Wildlife Trust’s website. You’ll need wood, hammer and nails. Or you can just buy one if you’re feeling flush!
Hedgehog (credit: BBC Wildlife)
2 comments
Deborah Webster
October 10, 2021 at 6:50 pm
LOVE THIS!
Clare Lardner
October 10, 2021 at 10:32 pm
Beautifully written, fascinating, and great photos, as usual. Abs I always learn some new things reading your blog.