Lesser Horseshoe news

I've been delighted that a Lesser Horseshoe bat has been rossting in our shed for 12 years now even though it means I try not to use the shed when he's in residence. Single males I understood tend to roost alone and he was always in the same spot so I was happy that this was one individual. LH Bats can live up to 20 or 30 years of age but in the wild this is usually shorter. I opened the shed door today to see at least three Lesser Horseshoes - I quickly shut the door again so it's possible there were more. After a google I was told that males can be live alone in the summer but can also be found in small numbers together so that probably explains the increased numbers. He's brought some friends back! I'll go out this evening and see if I see any bats leaving the shed.

Sulphur Tuft

A common enough fungus and one that is easy to identify. It is often found on conifer stumps.

Another fox vs fawns incident

Following the interactions in August there was another sort of attempt by a fox to take down a fawn. This time there were a few fawns scattered in the field and a single fox appeared. This alerted the deer and they sort of moved closer. The fox attempted several times to take a run at the smallest fawn but the deer stood together and started moving towards it en masse. After three attempts to frighten the deer the fox just sat down and thought for a while before running off. The photo is later the same day - the fawns are chilling in the same field but have brought along some adults including a big buck for protection!

Bluefooted Bolete

Still no Waxcaps yet but there are some Boletes. I identified one from the East Field near Beech as Bluefooted Bolete (Xerocomellus cisalpinus). This is the one that shows red cracking cap, yellowish flesh and it stains blue. This is part of a complex group of Boletes and one other I found I was unsure of.

New Species - Black Bulgar

I left some medium sized Oak logs in a pile for some months and when I came to put them in store they had numerous small black cup fungi on them. It turns out to be a common fungi called Black Bulgar or Batchelor's Buttons or even Black Jelly Drop. Its scientific name is Bulgaria inquinans. Interestingly it is suggested it is an endophyte living harmlessly inside the living tree but fruiting when the tree dies or in large branches which are cut off.

Giant Puffballs

Not here but in a field about a mile away - some serious Giant Puffballs ( Calvatia gigantea). Not a species I have found on site here yet.

Snowy Inkcap

In the absence of grassland fungi here I thought I would show a species from a local site a couple of miles away. This is a specialist on cowpats but can also be seen on horse dung sometimes. There were hundreds of these at Trellech Wet Meadow as the site is being grazed by 18 Belted Galloway cattle. Like a lot of inkcaps it is an ephemeral species lasting a few days at most.