Missed Opportunities

I started today with the objective of getting some pictures of the Firecrest along Granville Road. First I had a nasty surprise when I looked at my moth trap. The bulb, a costly bit of kit, had the top off like an opened hard boiled egg. I guess the bulb runs hot and it cracked in the sub-zero temperature. Surprisingly there was one Hebrew Character in the trap.

Once I got to the steps I soon heard and then saw the Firecrest, but I totally failed to get it focused in the camera.

Just like my last attempt, once the Firecrest had gone two Goldcrests came to have a look at what was going on. It seemed that the one above watched while the lower one practised some sort of avian high jump.

It made a good job of this jump, the next frame does show it perched on the twig above.

Yesterday I put up a picture of a fungus that I thought was Jew's Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) but I have been warned that this might not be right. I've put another picture, of the same growth, above and would appreciate any help with the identification.

I also tried to get a picture of a "British" Rock Pipit (Anthus p petrosus) in its current plumage, but the pair that are normally near the Bay resolutely refused to appear today, so here's one I took earlier.