Lord’s Wood, Redlodge Belt and Southampton Sports Centre 27th September 2026

This was primarily a bird walks with HOS but there were only 18 bird species for the 11 people present and all were common garden, park, and woodland species but one Buzzard was seen. Squirrels were everywhere and 2 Roe Deer seen in Lord’s Wood. A few insects like Hornet and Rhododendron Leafhopper were found. We also looked at mite and fly galls on the leaves of sycamore and lime. The Pale Flax in the Sports Centre was still in bloom and self-seeding Pittosporum tenuifolium was discovered at Dunkirk Road. At least 23 fungi were found including several powdery mildews but also Yellow False Truffle Rhizopogon luteolum in Lord’s Wood. Red Lodge Belt was the best place for fungi though, and here were found Tinder Fungus Fomes fomentarius, Pale Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus pulmonarius (pictured) and what we think is Brown-fleshed Bracket Funalia gallica, only its second discovery in Southampton.