Rather quiet over the Cemy.

Sunday 19th October 2025.

Are Toadstools getting bigger? This whopper of a Field Mushroom was growing in the uncut grass in the south-east corner.

It was back over to Highland Road Cemetery this morning with the dogs for a pleasant walk round before the rain came in. It was dark overhead and the rain was imminent, but I spent enough time walking around the area before I got seriously wet. It is that time of year when the birds can be a little wary and one just does not know if something exciting could be lurking about within there. Yesterday, Emma and Matt Parkes enjoyed the unpredictable delights of the Isle of Portland and patience paid off when they saw their first ever Red-breasted Flycatcher. Well done guys.

Above, adult and juvenile Herring Gulls regularly frequent the Cemy and below, a Magpie perched high up in one of the Lime Trees. Sorry guys, no disrespect to the Magpie, but there were very few birds to actually photograph here this morning.

Above, a Squirrel gathering acorns on the footpath and below, this photo does not do it justice to the lovely colour of the Autumn leaves on these two trees.

Though birds were hard to come by within the Cemetery this morning, I did find a couple of Goldcrests as I notched up a total of 15 species seen or heard on my walk there. Sadly, the light was very poor at times and so a lot of work developing my photos on Photoshop was necessary. A single Pied Wagtail flew over heading south and a Chiffchaff was heard briefly calling, but no sighting this morning. All the usual suspects were again within the Cemetery, but no Woodpeckers or much else flying over either.

Above, Great Grey Shrike? I'm afraid not, this was a Pied Wagtail flying over the Cemy and below, a Great Tit in a Holly Tree.

Above, a Hornet-mimic Hoverfly was one of a very few insects seen here today and below, this clump of Ox-eye Daisies growing by one of the graves adding a splash of colour.

Another good thing about this time of year is that the Toadstools and Fungi are out and I found a few interesting ones today, that included several Deceivers (Laccaria laccata), some overripe Honey Fungi that had gone over and a huge Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris) was found over on the south-east side within the uncut grass. 

This clump of Michaelmas Daisies was a nice change from the usual flowers. Below, I was lucky to get this photo of a male Goldcrest in a Holly Bush.

Above, I was also surprised to find this Green Alkanet that was flowering by the Mausoleum and below, the topside of the huge Field Mushroom. 

There were very few insects on the wing with the impending rain coming in, but I did find a Hornet-mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) perched on a sprig of Holly and a few Buff-tailed Bumblebees were keeping low down across the ground. OK, not a great deal else to write about here, but I will add that the colour of the trees, the uncut grass and the occasional Robin song, I would rather be here than stuck in front of a television screen all the time. 

The Deceiver toadstool which was found at both Highland Road Cemetery today and also yesterday at Woolmer Pond. 

In Hampshire yesterday:

There were a few notable birds in Hampshire that included, as mentioned, the Great Grey Shrike at Woolmer Forest after we had left (fume!), but also a Wood Sandpiper and an immature Caspian Gull on the Stream area of Farlington Marshes. Brambling were seen at both Woolmer Pond Cottage garden and  Mark Ash Wood, New Forest.

The Red-breasted Flycatcher on the Isle of Portland yesterday. Photos by Emma Parkes.