A stunner at West Hartford.

Shaggy Mane  or Inkcap.

Oh yes, and there was a Little Stint and a Sanderling.


These fungi are edible. If you fancy trying it here is a recipe. ENJOY.
A nice Riesling is recommended.

Shaggy Mane Quiche

Serves 6 as a first course

The shaggy mane is a favorite mushroom among mushroom-lovers. The caps liquefy rapidly, so speed is essential in getting them into the pot. One ardent admirer of this mushroom takes a skillet and butter on collecting trips so that the shaggy manes can be eaten where they are found. 1/2 recipe pie crust (page xx) 5 to 6 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 to 1 pound shaggy manes, sliced 4 shallots or green onions, minced 1/2 cup freshly grated provolone cheese 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt Pinch of cayenne 4 eggs, well beaten 2 cups half and half

Prepare the pie crust. Roll the dough out to a 10-inch crust. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the crust. Crimp the edges. In a sauté pan or skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and sauté the mushrooms and shallots until the shallots are translucent and most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Spread the bacon over the pie crust. Add the grated cheese, then the mushroom and shallots. Mix the nutmeg, salt, and cayenne into the beaten eggs. Add the cream. Slowly pour the custard mixture over the bacon, cheese, and mushrooms. Bake the quiche in a preheated 350º oven for about 35 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is brown.

The shaggy mane is a favorite mushroom among mushroom-lovers. The caps liquefy rapidly, so speed is essential in getting them into the pot. One ardent admirer of this mushroom takes a skillet and butter on collecting trips so that the shaggy manes can be eaten where they are found.

• 1/2 recipe pie crust (page xx)
• 5 to 6 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 to 1 pound shaggy manes, sliced
• 4 shallots or green onions, minced
• 1/2 cup freshly grated provolone cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cayenne
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 2 cups half and half

Prepare the pie crust. Roll the dough out to a 10-inch crust. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the crust. Crimp the edges.

In a sauté pan or skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and sauté the mushrooms and shallots until the shallots are translucent and most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated.

Spread the bacon over the pie crust. Add the grated cheese, then the mushroom and shallots. Mix the nutmeg, salt, and cayenne into the beaten eggs. Add the cream. Slowly pour the custard mixture over the bacon, cheese, and mushrooms.

Bake the quiche in a preheated 350º oven for about 35 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is brown.

Are you a Treki ? I am.

Nooooo, not that soap in space crap.  TREKTELLEN !!
If you are into vismig this is a place worth calling by, especially if you cannot get out daily for that seawatching fix. It features all the major seawatching sites around the UK and further afield. The likes of Whitburn, Flamborough Head, Spurn, Filey Brigg and St. Abbs Head have been included in my favourites list.
HERE is the link to Trektellen.
Now you can claim to be a Treki..............if you are not already a sad bustard.

The Howdon Blogger and i called in at Whitburn a couple of weeks ago on the way to Teesside and with the observatory being "open for business" we joined a very knowledgeable and helpful Paul Hindess and spent a cracking 45 minutes with him. He also writes a blog which lists his sightings from the observatory (he is down there almost every day) which you could add to your blog list.
VIEW FROM THE OBS is his blog.

For no reason whatsoever, here is an image of one of the four juvenile Marsh Harriers on view at Leighton Moss a few weeks back.

Humbug anyone ??

The second brood of the pair at Killingworth.

The adults went back to their nest on the smaller lake recently to start a second brood but a Coot family had taken up residence so luckily for us they moved over the road onto the ex floating reedbed.

 

Hollywell Heron.

Sitting at Holywell Pond this morning, I found myself singing along to Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel while watching this strangely posed Grey Heron and I can't for the life of me think why !

It might have had something to do with
THIS !! 

On the other hand one of my favourite and most graceful waders struck a different pose.



Black Darters, Barkbooth Lot.

 

Cracking little Dragonfly associated with acid pools.

For you, A.J.J.

I took this image a couple of weeks ago at Big Waters and it's the first chance I've had to go through those taken this day. Loved this particular shot of adult and juvenile Tree Sparrow in the feeding station. It just about sums up the good work carried out there by a sometimes unappreciated gentleman.
This one's for you, sir.