Year of the Pinkgill

It's been a reasonable year for fungi in general but a spectacular one for Pinkgills. Part of it may be that I have been locked down here looking every day and part of it down to slowly increasing knowledge and better id books but even so the list of Pinkgills has grown significantly and that just shows it was a very good year for them. This year I have recorded as new for the site the following Pinkgills: Cream Pinkgill (Entoloma sericellum) Big Blue Pinkgill (Entoloma bloxamii) Enoloma juncinum Entoloma exile Recorded before but also seen this year: Lilac Pinkgill (Entoloma porphyrophaeum) Felted Pinkgill (Entoloma griseocyaneum) Indigo Pinkgill (Entoloma chalybeum) Star Pinkgill (Entoloma conferendum) Mealy Pinkgill (Entoloma prunuloides) Still sorting out: Entoloma infula Papillate Pinkgill (Entoloma papillatum) Pimple Pinkgill (Enoloma hebes) In addition there were two or three species that I thought were new but which I couldn't get an ID on. I'll have to up my skills by next year! The photo is one I didn't id - looks like a darker E prunuloides, maybe a variety of or a related species.

New Species - Micropterix calthella

Like a researcher discovering something in the museum archives I have identified a micromoth from a four year old photograph. I was looking at some photos I had taken of Spring Sedge in May 2016 and I spotted a couple of micromoths which I was able to identify as Micropterix calthella (no English name) using my two field guides. The Micropterididae are the only moths with chewing mouthparts and have been around for 100 million years as they evolved in tandem with flowering plants.

New Trail Camera - Badger photographed

The old trail camera should been replaced months ago and the new one is delivering already. A Fallow Stag on night one and a Badger on night 2.

Jelly Ear

I have seen Jelly Ear fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) a few times here as we have lots of its favoured host trees - Elders. There is a partiularly good outcrop of them near the house at the moment.

Waxcap #24 - Crimson Waxcap

This was the last Waxcap seen here this year - and I am not expecting more after some recent frosts. It has actually spread from one or two fruiting bodies last year to two or three clumps this year. Not a great photo but it shows the distinctive features that separate it from the Splendid Waxcap - the cap colour and stipe shape.

Waxcap #23 - Orange Waxcap

Not seen much this year in our fields but it has been a year when some species have proliferated and others seldom fruiting or absent. In particular I have not seen H miniata, G vitellinus or even C. irrigatus here this year.

Waxcap #22 - Snowy Waxcap

There seemed to be a lot of these this year when they eventuually arrived. They are so similar to the Cedarwood Waxcap which came earlier in the season except for the smell. Sometimes its difficult to be sure at first as the smell feature is so subjective and variable but without it it would be very difficult to differentiate the two species.

Waxcap #21 - Butter Waxcap

The fungi are pretty much over now and this find was a few weeks ago - just catching up with the waxcap records

New Species - Dewdrop Mottlegill

It took me a while and some help to identify this as the Dewdrop Mottlegill (Panaeolus acuminatus) as it looks at first sight similar to other Mottlegills such as the Brown Mottlegill and the Turf Mottlegill. I am happy now that this is a new Mottlegill for the site.

Waxcap #20 - Glutinous Waxcap

It's a few weeks since I recorded this - I'm just a bit behind with the Wildlife Blog. This is one I see occasionally rather than regulalrly although its one of those small yellowish waxcaps that can be missed or mistaken. However the gloop gives it away.

New Species - Goblet

I found a fungus a couple of weeks ago that was either a Clitocybe or a Pseudoclitocybe but I couldn't deteremine to species. Then the other day I found a similar fungus with some differences, that is identified as a Goblet (Pseudoclitocybe cyathiformis). Quite widespread and common but a first for me here. The fungi list is getting quite impressive even without the Waxcaps.

Waxcap #19 - the Splendid Waxcap

My favourite is back - in fact this record is a couple of weeks old but Hygrocybe spendidissima is now is two fields. In fact it has appeared in three places in a field that it has not been recorded in before. Shame the sheep are trampling it!

And a second Coral - Meadow Coral

I was wondering where the Corals, Clubs and Spindles were and we do have three now which have all come along in the last week or so. This one via a tiny patch of Meadow Coral (Clavinulopsis corniculata) in the West Field.

And now a Coral

One day after finding my first Spindle I have a second fungus from a similar form. It is something that I would have identified as Ramariopsis kunzei known as Ivory Coral. However I see that the species has recently been split into R kunzei and R robusta and this looks like the latter. However the BMS only has an English Name for R kunzei. I guess it will all get sorted in time!

White Spindles at last

There's been an absence of Corals, Clubs and Spindles so far but at last we have one - White Spindles (Clavaria fragilis) in the West Field. About time!

Waxcap #18 - Blushing Waxcap

Pretty distinctive with its gnarly form, dark grey brown colours and quickly turning bright red when bruised but not often recorded. This appeared here for the first time last year and is back in the same place. Definitely one of my favourite Waxcaps

Another Pinkgill - the Indigo Pinkgill

This one is not a new species as I found it in the West Field last year. This year it is to be found in both the West Field (in a different place) and the South Field. As I was doing the ID and gradually homing in on Entoloma chalybeum I noticed a brown edge to the gills on one of the specimens which I had not previously realised was a feature sometimes seen on this species.

And another new mammal species - Daubenton's Bat

I came across the fourth Bat species for the site in an unfortunate manner, when I contemplated lighting a first fire of the year in the log burner and found a dead bat amongst the ash. It looks like it has been there a while and maybe this was a young bat that had not yet got to grips with what was and was not a suitable roosting place. Anyway the small positive I take from this is that I can add Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentoni) to the mammal list alongside Common and Soprano Pipistrelles and of course Lesser Horseshoes.

New Mammal Species - Reeve's Muntjac

I have seen Muntjacs before a couple of miles from the village, but this morning there was one right in front of the house. That's one more addition to the Mammal's list.

Waxcap #17 - Oily Waxcap

Seventeen is the number that under Rald and Vesterholt's criteria would make it a site of National (ie UK) importance. (I think I may have #18 as well but I've got to do some checking). Not a typical Oily Waxcap (Hygrocybe quieta) as it is more orangey than most but the gills and smell give it away.

New Species - White Saddle

Of course I don't just get grassland fungi here, we have treed areas and soil and compost heaps. I was quite surprised to get a Saddle on the drive however, although it seems that it is quite common. This is the White Saddle (Helvella crispa), a largish fungus and quite distinctive.

Waxcap #16 - Scarlet Waxcap

Usually here in quantities so no surpise that the Scarlet Waxcap has appeared. It was spotted by me today 15th October, last year the first one seen was on 14th October.

Another new Pinkgill species - Cream Pinkgill

What a year for Pinkgills. Another day, another new species and this is a good one - the Cream Pinkgill (Entoloma sericellum).

Major New Species - Big Blue Pinkgill

It's been a great year for Pinkgills but even so I would never have expected to find the elusive Big Blue Pinkgill here (Entoloma bloxamii). At first I thought it was another Mealy Pinkgill as it is on the brownish side of blue rather than steel blue as some of them are. However the stipe was definitely blue and further consideration with the help of our local expert identified the specimen as the Big Blue Pinkgill. This year has been superb for fungi so far - particularly Pinkgills.

Waxcap #15 - Earthy Waxcap

This was an exciting find as I don't see it very often here. In fact this is the first time I have seen it in the West Field. Just a single specimen so maybe it is a developing organism still in that field. For the first time I tested the base of the stip and after bruising it I got the faint red colouration that Boertmann mentions.

waxcap #14 Parrot Waxcap

Has sprung up in East, South and West Fields. The first one I saw was particulalry orange and pink.

Waxcap #13 - Cedarwood Waxcap

Smell gives it away! Cuphophyllus russocoriacea is around and about in the West Field.

New Species - Entoloma juncinum

It's been quite a year for Pinkgills and I have managed to id another new on for The Beeches list. I was surprised to find a long narrow yellow-brown stipe on what had appeared to be a faded C. flavipes next to other flavipes specimens. It turned out to be E. juncinum (no English name).

New Species - Entoloma hebes - Pimple Pinkgill

I was not able to id this at first but with help I have decided it is the Pimple Pinkgill. I found this in some rough grass just outside the West Field but I have also found it in the West Field.

New species - Papillate Pinkgill

There has been a whole lot of Entolomas this year and I am not very good at ID. With help from Elsa I can add Entoloma papillatum to The Beeches fungi list.

Waxcap #12 - Honey Waxcap

One of the easiest to identify because of the smell of honey (plus the deep oranginess and usual narrow yellow margin to the cap), Hygrocybe reidii beocmes #12 for this year fruiting high up in the West Field.

Waxcap #11 - Meadow Waxcap

Moving along nicely now - #11 for the year is the ubiquitous Meadow Waxcap (Cuphophyllus pratensis)

New Species - Brown Birch Bolete

Found this single very attarctive Bolete near the small Birch trees springing up near where the mature Birch tree used to be. It fits the id of the Brown Birch Bolete (Leccinum scabrum) down to the reddening of the flesh.

Waxcap #10 - Pale Waxcap

Found at the same time as #9 and about 50cm away! The Pale Waxcap is I am sure a separate species rather than a variety of the Meadow Waxcap. I am a lumper but this fruits earlier, does not look like the Meadow Waxcap in most ways and there are not intermeidates that I have seen.

Waxcap #9 - Blackening Waxcap

On the grass below the South Field I found a few Blackening Waxcaps. These are the first to colonise grassland and will appear on lawns as well as unimproved meadows and pastures.

Waxcap #8 - Goblet Waxcap

A bit past it but identifiable nontheless - the Goblet Waxcap (Hygrocybe cantharellus) in thh West Field makes it 8 for the season so far.

New Species - Lepiota ignivolvata

I failed to ID this fungus last year but it appeared in the same spot in leaf litter at the West Field margin close to a large old Beech tree. I am confident it is Lepiota ignivolvata - the final giveaway was the orange edge to the ring. It is noted as 'seldom recorded' in Collins.

Waxcap #7

The Golden Waxcap (Hygrocybe chlorophana) is now fruiting in East, South and West fields. That is the first waxcap for the South Field this year.

Waxcap #6 - Pink Waxcap

Still in August and we are up to six Waxcaps - one of the two Pink Waxcaps (Porpolomopsis calyptriformis) has a stipe about twice the normal upper length at 150mm.

Pinkgills out

At least three species of Pinkgills appeared in the West Field a couple of days ago. I was able to identify one as the Blue Edge Pinkgill (Entoloma serrulatum), one as the Felted Pinkgill (E. griseocyaneum) and one remains a mystery. It is a bit like the Mealy Pinkgill (E. prunuloides) but definite identification eludes me. Photo shows the felted cap of the Felted Pinkgill.

New Species - Violet Ground Beetle

I do think I have seen this or similar before but I don't seem to have recorded it anywhere so it goes on my new species list. This must be the Violet Ground Beetle (Carabus violaceous) as it fits the description perfectly. The purple line on the elytra and the subtle colouring on the pronotum turn what at first appears to be a plain black beetle into a thing of beauty.

Waxcap #5 Yellow Foot Waxcap

We're off and running in the mid-season waxcaps and first up is the Yellow Foot Waxcap (Cuphophyllus flavipes).

New Species of Hoverfly

I am sure this must be Sphaerophoria interrupta. There are apparently very similar species but none of them are known to be found around here and S. interrupta is 'a common and widespread grassland species' that is found here. My list of identified Hoverflies is now ten species but it wouldbe a lot higher if I was more dedicated to and better at identifying them.

Wildlife at The Beeches

A wildlife trip out to The Forest of Dean reminded me that what we see here is remarkable and perhaps taken for granted too much. Many times I was shown wildlife that I see on a daily basis (Fallow Deer, Sloe Worms, Ravens, Marsh Tits, Eyebright etc). There was also stuff we don't see here so it was a great day out. As a reminder a Buzzard perched this morning on a tree close to the house - we do live in a special place.

Holly Blue

A lovely little butterfly and not uncommon but I don't see a lot of these despite having loads of both Holly and Ivy here. This year there are definitely more and one kept still long enough for me to take a photo.

Butterflies

It's been a good year, in general, for butterflies. A huge increase in Small Tortoiseshells despite reports of them decreasing elsewhere, lots more Peacocks, a good year for Marbled Whites and also for Small, Large and Green-veined Whites. Reasonable numbers of Common Blues and Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers and I have recorded some species I didn't see last year such as Holly Blue and Silver-washed Fritillary. Today there were six specieson the Buddleia including this Red Admiral.

New Species - Roesel's Bush Cricket

Another one for the Orthopterans list - the Roesel's Bush Cricket which brings the count to seven species. Luckily it is an easy one to identify as I did not have my camera with me which is the usual way I id insects. I think there is a general decrease in the density of grasshoppers and crickets this year-last year there were hordes of them. The list in full: Dark Bush Cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus Common Green GrasshopperOmocestus viridulus Speckled Bush Cricket Leptophyes punctatissima Common Groundhopper Tetrix undulata Roesel’s Bush Cricket Metrioptera roeselii

New Species - Common Pipistrelle

I have seen at close quarters and recorded on my ancient bat recorder two species of bat on site - the Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and the Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). I have seen a Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) at a neighbour's house but my bat recorder was not subtle enough to detect one on site. However my new hi-tech recorder (Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro) managed to find both species of Pipistrelle on its first outing last night. I look forward to detecting more species but I have seen very few bats around this year which is concerning.

Waxcap #4 - Dingy Waxcap

This is the last of the 'early' waxcaps we see here. It is distinctive in its slow reddening of stipe, flesh and gills and its chemical smell. Very unfairly named in my view.

Waxcap #3 - Spangle Waxcap

Usually arrives around this time as one of the early season Waxcaps. Usually appears in the North Field as well. Small but perfectly formed, the red striae, translucent reddish centre and reddish top to the stipe are distinctive.

Burnet Saxifrage - back again

Two years ago I recorded a single Burnet Saxifrage in the middle of the East Field. It is back again and as it is a perennial I assume I just missed it last year or it got eaten. I am hoping it can generate seeds this year even though there is only a single bloom.