New Species - Toasted Waxcap

Waxcap number 22 for the season and also number 28 for the site - the Toasted Waxcap (Cuphophyllus colemannianus). I nearly missed this one as a glance a couple of days previously made me think it was some more Snowy Waxcaps (of which there was a clump not too far away). However the colour and size were not right and closer examination showed it to be the Toasted Waxcap - albeit one at the lighter end of the colour range. Now we are getting some frosts I am not sure we will have many more waxcaps here. There are mainly Meadow, Scarlet and some fading Pink and Golden waxcaps left. That means so far no Splendid, Crimson, Slimy or Vermilion waxcaps this year.

New Species - Blue Edge Pinkgill

I would guess I have in excess of six species of Pinkgill but I struggle with their identification (as do a lot of people). However I can add a fourth ID (following E conferendum, E porphyrophaeum and E griseocyaneum) following the relatively easy ID of the Blue Edge Pinkgill (Entoloma serrulatum). This one has a distinctive colour to cap and stipe and distinctive gills with a blue and serrulated edge. the photo is very noisy as it was taken on highest ISO in fading light but the distinctive blue black colour of cap and stipe can be seen.

New Species - Water Shrew

I found a dead shrew in one of the fields and was surprised that closer examination revealed it to be a Water Shrew. As there is no suitable water close by I imagine it was dropped by a predator - maybe a bird - although there were no obvious wounds.

Female hog release

Our hedgehog release programme was interrupted by the escape of the first female due here, in high winds down at the hog hospital. The winds blew over her cage and with that she was gone. However we have now released a female who was found stuck in a drain and could not be returned to her home territory after rehabilitation. If the three males are still around then she has a choice of mates.

New Species - Pink Domecap

This is quite a low key fungus, not very big and low to the ground. I don't think it's uncommon but I have only come across it once before so it was good to find it right by the barn. It used to be in the Calocybe genus but it is now Rugosomyces carneus.