where sandy soil had made the conditions especially suitable for Badger excavations. After 

 walking through the village of Crazies Hill, the next track went through farmland, with fine views 

 across the valley of the Thames to the Chilterns. Several Buzzards and a Kestrel were seen, but 

 there were no signs of the Swallows which had been present a few days earlier. There was a 

 pause to sample the small purple plums which were growing in the hedge beside the next lane. 

 Speckled Wood butterflies were flying in the sunshine and Pale Toadflax plants were in flower on 

 the bank. The route then followed a footpath back up and across several fields and continued 

 along a sunken lane. A sheltered rushy pasture had Water-plantain, flowering mint and a number 

 of butterflies, including a Small Tortoiseshell, several Small Whites and a Large White. New views 

 opened up towards Reading, with the line of the Hampshire Downs in the background and the 

 Hannington TV mast on the horizon. Further round was the outline of the Wellingtonia Avenue at 

 Finchampstead. The path then climbed back up through the woods, with more Commas and 

 Speckled Woods. In the final woodland section, a line of tall Poplars beside a small stream looked 

 as if it had once been planted in a garden setting. Afterwards, some of the group enjoyed lunch at 

 the Queen Victoria at Hare Hatch. 



17 October 



Ricki Bull led a walk from the King William IV pub at Hailey on Wednesday 17**^ October. There had 

 been heavy rain overnight and there were extremely heavy showers in the afternoon, but the walk 

 took place in bright sunshine with a stiff southerly breeze. The route started out northwards across 

 the fields towards Woodhouse Farm. A pheasant shoot was under way, but fortunately the guns 

 were pointing away from the footpath. Clumps of conical shiny fungi in the first stretch of woodland 

 were identified as Glistening Ink Cap and a distinctive Magpie Fungus was spotted. The route then 

 turned eastwards, following a track up through the fields towards Mongewell Woods. There were 

 still a few flowers to be seen, including Wild Mignonette, Burnet-saxifrage, White Campion, Wild 

 Basil and Field Scabious. In the hedgerow were black Buckthorn berries and the red berries of 

 hawthorn and rose. The leaves on the trees in Mongewell Woods were still predominantly green, 

 with the first autumn colours just beginning to appear. In the woods, several Earthstar fungi were 

 found and a Roe Deer crossed the path. A flock of Goldfinches were resting on the fence in the 

 fields above the wood and a single Red Admiral butterfly flew along the hedge. A Common Shrew 

 darted out from under a sheet of plastic which was lying beside the path. An unusual tree in the 

 farmyard at Homer Farm was identified as a Mulberry and there were a number of Yellow Stainer 

 fungi in the grass. The walk finished by following the track back eastwards down towards the pub, 

 where most of the 8-strong party stayed for lunch. 



21 November 



Squeezed between heavy overnight rain and torrential afternoon rain, Sheelagh Hill managed to 

 find a window of opportunity for her walk on 21®' November when the weather was merely damp. 

 The walk started from The Bottle and Glass at Binfield Heath. 4 members headed north-eastwards 

 along the lane before turning off onto the track through High Wood. Part way through the wood, a 

 bank with big old coppice stools marked an ancient trackway. In the grassy fields beyond, a 

 number of Field Blewits were found. In Harpsden Wood, abundant yellow fungi with a smell of coal 

 tar were identified as Sulphur Knight Tricholoma sulphureum. Leaves of Woodruff and Wood 

 Spurge indicated that this was long-established woodland. At the base of a beech tree was a big 

 patch of foam, which was thought to be a slime mould. A number of specimens of The Blusher 

 were seen, with a flat dark brownish-red cap covered with pale scales. Other species identified 

 included Common Puffball and Clouded Agaric. The next stretch of track, across a field of winter 

 wheat, was sticky under foot. Entering Upper Hailey Wood, there was an enormous flat pale tan- 

 coloured fungus with a cap which was at least 20cm across. A Roe Deer was disturbed and raced 

 away. On the far side of Lower Hailey Wood, the route followed a track to Shiplake Row, before 

 turning west towards Binfield Heath. The Spindle bushes in the hedgerow had an abundant crop 

 of pink bernes. Their leaves showed no sign of cnanging colour yet. At the top of the hill, there was 

 a brief diversion down the track running south towards the Reading-Henley Road. Jelly Ear and a 

 white jelly-like fungus were growing on a dead branch at the side of the track. As the group walked 

 back through the fields, the sky became darker and heavy rain began to fall. Fortunately Chris 

 Ash's car was strategically parked in Kiln Lane and it was used to cover the last half mile to the 

 pub, which was warm, dry and served excellent food. 



17 



