October is here and luckily the weather this last September has not been as wet as last year. However, stormy weather is associated with this month so we should expect some rain and high winds. In October the temperature drops and the sap in plants returns to the roots so that this year's leaves, start to change colour. Also we can expect a few frosts as the evenings draw in but the skies stay clear. Most farmers have brought in their summer crops and have ploughed and re-sown.

Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina).

Look out this month for fungi. There is a general rule about fungi that is worth remembering to help distinguish between them: Mushrooms have fleshy rings around their stems whilst toadstools don't. An example of a mushroom is the Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina). It can be found in either coniferous or deciduous woodlands. It is fairly rare and is very poisonous.

Milk Cap (Lactarius spp).

Examples of toadstools include the Milk Cap family (Lactarius spp). There are numerous varieties of milkcap to be seen on a variety of hosts in coniferous and deciduous woodland. All of them produce a liquid that resembles milk when the flesh of the plant is slightly damaged, however there are a few that produce yellow or orange liquid. This milk like liquid is peppery in taste but are not recommended for eating.

Some of the stranger fungi to be found are the puffballs, and the strangest of them all has to be the Common Earth Star (Geastrum triplex). There are a variety of Earth Star fungi but this is the most widely distributed one over Britain.

Common Earth Star (Geastrum triplex).

Another fungus to look out for is King Alfred's Cakes (Daldinia concentrica). This is usually found on dead beech or ash and if you are keen to learn about fungi then this one can be found all year round. Its name came about because it looks like burnt cakes.

King Alfred's Cakes (Daldinia concentrica)

Legend says that whilst King Alfred hid from the Danes in Somerset he was supposed to look after the cooking whilst the cook was away. On the cooks return the cakes were burnt and Alfred was scolded for not doing his job (as if he didn't have enough on his mind at the time!).

Already I have seen and heard some of our winter visiting birds like the Fieldfare and Redwing. There is a wide variety of fruit and nuts to be found for birds and animals in the woodlands and throughout the hedgerows. Sloes can be found growing on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa).

Black Bryony (Tamus communis)

Berries can be found on Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) which are pink in colour. Look out for the bright red berries of Black Bryony (Tamus communis) and the heart-shaped leaves trailing through the hedgerows looking like necklaces. There are still a few flowers out to keep the insects interested. This month butterflies that over winter as adults will start looking for places like the garden shed to roost out of the cold and wet weather.

Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus)

At this time of year the Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) will begin to shed their antlers and the male bucks pair up with female does in what is known as the "false rut" because the real rut is between mid-July to mid-August. Roe Deer are different from our other native deer in that they do not wander around in herds like the Fallow or Red Deer but travel singly or in pairs for most of the year. The only time you see a group of Roe Deer is during the winter months. The Roe Deer was a native to this country but was hunted to extinction and only brought back to this country around the Norman Period and from then on it has thrived.

Next month November, I will talk about a few of those late flowering plants.