Fine fungi and deer

The mild early winter has allowed many species of fungi to  fruit or re fruit creating an abundance of late variety.  This magpie ink cap (Coprinus picacea) was under beech amongst the leaf litter on a roadside verge.

The sika deer rut is over and the stags re join as male herds.  Some are worse for ware as they carry injuries from fights.  Here one animal has broken off an antler (the stag on the left side), not a real problem now as it will be cast in the springtime.  The stag on the right has an injured eye and he may have lost his sight, a much more serious handicap.  The stag in the middle has no visible handicaps.  They graze the reed beds in harmony with curlews behind them and Autumnal colours.

 

 

A few roe deer bucks have not yet shed their small antlers and here the young animals still sport them.  Roe are different from the larger deer species in the fact that they grow their antlers during the winter time as they are small and shed them late autumn or early winter.

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