Marcescent oak

Uninspiring weather and an imminent deadline had kept me glued to the computer over the last couple of days, but this morning the sun was shining, enticing me out.

Locally, the world has reached a stage of squelchy drabness, making it hard to choose a location. After some indecision, I ended up at Southey Wood where there are dry paths, though perversely I decided to follow one of the smaller routes, with its slip-sliding mud made worse by the passage of mountain bikers.

It was good to be out in the fresh air, but wildlife was a bit sparse. A few white saddle fungi along the edge of a path, a pair of cronking ravens  and a mixed group of foraging birds, dominated by long-tailed tits and goldcrests were the highlight. The marcescent leaves of the oak trees provided a welcome splash of colour.