Sika Rut - Frame Heath Inclosure (14th Oct)

Got down to Ladycross at 7am just as it was getting light. Walking up the gravel track through Frame Heath Inclosure in the early morning mist I could hear a Sika stag calling at the back of the inclosure. Thier call is nothing like the deep groans & roaring of the Fallow & Red or even Roe deer. It is more like a high pitched eiree scream or whistle that rises to a peak & then tails off, uttered singly or more usually in 3's. Sounds a bit like someone being murdered! This contrasted quite a bit from the Fallow buck that was calling from the other side of the track further up. Sika hinds were everywhere with their calves & also a small herd of Falow does.
As it got lighter I could make out the fungi that were all over the ride edges & under the trees; Blusher, Sulpher tuft, Ceps, Russulas, False Death caps, Cauliflower fungus, the Jelly Antler fungi Calocera cornea, Lepiotas & Coprinus. Going towards Frame Wood a Redwing flew over the trees with its descending metallic 'tsee' & 'chac'calls. Robins & Wrens were singing & by now Blue tits, Great tits, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Siskins & Pheasants were calling as well.
On the trunks of the trees next to the track were the score marks of the Sika stags antlers where they have been marking their territory. Usually easily seen on the 50-60 year old conifers.
At Frame Wood I came across one stag that I'd heared calling. He was a fair size, but walked off before I could get a good look at him. More fungi here: as well as the ones already mentioned there were the Giant Flame cap & Oak Milk cap. Strangley enough a young Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming on a dead branch of an Oak & also a young Chaffinch was giving his sub-song.
In Hawkhill Inclosure I only heard one stag calling from the northern end. A Jay was busy burying an acorn, some Crossbills flew overhead, a Buzzard was calling & Siskins were flying everywhere. Also saw a big clump of Fly Agarics but with the mornings dew they were soggy & most of the colour had run. One fallen beech tree was absolutly covered in Sulphur Tuft, Oyster mushrooms Many-zoned Polypore & Porcelain fungus.
Coming back through Frame Wood there was the remains (feathers) of a Wood Pigeon that had been taken by a Buzzard or Sparrowhawk.
Back into Frame Heath Inclosure two more stags were calling at each other from either end of a grass track but unfortunatly (for me) there was no fighting.
As I walked back to the car I noticed Autumn Hawkbit & Common Centaury were still out in flower & a few Dark Bushcrickets were still chirping away.

Simon Currie