October 2008

With the flowers almost gone, the months seemed to get shorter and shorter wildlife-wise and into October we went. I didn’t get round to much before the 18th (I wish I had been out and about looking for fungi…) when we went down to Farlington Marshes on a nice day, but there wasn’t much around. I did, however, get photos of Canadian fleabane and spotted medick (not the flower). A few waders around already: redshank, dunlin, black-tailed godwits, ringed plovers and grey plovers. Quite a few shovelers there too.
On the 24th Mum and I cycled to Whiteparish and back, through Bentley Wood. In Whiteparish we were lucky enough to see a lesser spotted woodpecker; quite a rare bird! In Bentley Wood I got a puncture which was annoying, but it did give me the opportunity to “fungi-hunt” (for the first proper time)! I found nine species in total. Firstly, I was in a patch of coniferous trees where I found lots of Lycoperdon perlatum and some huge Collybia butyracea as well as one, rather nibbled, Russula atropurpurea. After that I walked round the track and, in a bit of beech woodland, found Trametes gibbosa, more Lycoperdon perlatum and a bit of Xylaria hypoloxon, aptly named Candlesnuff fungus due to its weird appearance. Then, on a wood stack, I found things such as Trametes versicolor, Ascocoryne sarcoides and lots of the Stereum hirsutum bracket. Mum came and picked me up and we stopped on Livery Road so that I could get a photo of the Armillaria mellea.
That same say, back home, I saw my first four redwing of the winter.
On the 25th I noticed that there was a lot of fungi growing up on Barry’s Field so I took a quick trip up there to ‘investigate’. In the end it was worth doing because I found six new species! In the far corner there was a small colony of Hygrocybe pratensis which matched up nicely to a single Hygrocybe psittacina in the other corner of the field, showing a classic green stem. In that same corner I also found a lot of yellow Psilocybe semilanceata , a small colony of Clavulinopsis helvola and, in the moss, both Rickenella fibula and Rickenella swartsii. It was a very successful foray; I even found some late thyme-leaved speedwell…
At the end of the month we spent a few days up in Yorkshire and on the first day we had a quick walk in the sunshine (and BITTERLY cold wind) which brought a few new fungi, including Clavulinopsis corniculata, Hygrocybe chlorophana, Hygrocybe virginea and Entoloma sericellum. By the car park there was a big wild turnip plant which puzzled me for a while having not seen it since April. A raven passed over at one point, but the highlight of the day was a short-eared owl that glided across the moor before settling on a fence post. It was a great view. I was surprised at how big its wingspan was (I thought it would be smaller). It’s great to FINALLY see one  isn’t it Dad? 
Anyway, the next day we went to Halton Gill in the Dales. It was freeeeeeeeeeezing but I saw my first fieldfares of the winter as well as a few mushrooms: Lactarius quietus, Hygrocybe coccinea and Hygrocybe pratensis.
The 29th was easily our best day in Yorkshire when it comes to fungi. I found an amazing 17 different species during our cold morning walk at Pecket Well. We set off and walked through a wood with the steep sides of the valley on either side and a stream where I found lots of Xylaria hypoloxon. Then we went through a wet field which had Clavulinopsis helvola and Hygrocybe pratensis growing in it. Next was a bit of beech woodland where we stopped for snacks which gave me some time for foraging . I found Stereum hirsutum, Gymnopilus rutilans, lots of Coprinus micaceus and a patch of well-camouflaged purple mushrooms growing on the woodland floor called amethyst deceivers, Laccaria amethystina. Moving on, I discovered Mycena galericulata and Mycena inclinata. Then I saw an ochre brittlegill, Russula ochroleuca which had been nibbled by something, most likely a squirrel. I also uncovered a beautiful clump of yellow/orange mushrooms called Sulphur tufts, Hypholoma fasciculare, and found three Flammulina velutipes or Velvet shank.
The next day was Malham though there wasn’t much around. I did find over 100 carline thistles and dame’s-violet and some Snowy waxcaps, Hygrocybe virginea.