Fox chilling in the East Field

There is a lot of fox visiting done here - we see the signs, we capture them on camera traps and sometimes we see them out hunting in the daylight. Today there was one stretched out fully relaxed in the field and I think that's a first. I watched it for a few minutes and then it was gone.

Ivory Coral

Actually I am not sure whether this is called Ivory Coral. Ramariopsis kunzei was called Ivory Coral but this version that is thicker and more robust has been separated out as R. robusta. Anyway it is to be found in the South Field again.

Clouded Agaric

One of several members of the Clitocybe genus is the Clouded Agaric (Clytocybe nebularis) whichis fruiting at the edge of the West Field close or under the trees. It is a hefty fungus with deeply decurrent gills.

Species of the Year 2023

Obviously the prize for fungi goes to the Papillate Waxcap (Hygrocybe papillata), a rare Waxcap not far from my back door. Perfect. Pretty much scoops the prize for Overall Species of the Year as well. Butterfly wise it has to be the very brief appearance of a Silver-washed Fritillary, one of the UKs largest butterflies. Other species that deserve a mention include the Palmate Newt which have been glimpsed previously but this year were in hand and could be formally indentified. Lastly I think the Lesser Horseshoe bat that lives in our shed has survived another year and deserves to be recorded. I first spotted him (it is a 'him' as it is the males that lead s solitary existence) in 2014 as an adult so he is ten years old at least and may be a lot more. Photo of the Papillate Waxcap.

Deer doing a lot of grazing

There's been lots of Fallow Deer on site and they seem to be doing a lot of grazing which is actually good news given that the normal small flock of sheep hasn't arrived this year so far. We need aftermath grazing and the deer are providing some so I won't be chasing them away which I sometimes do when they are after the orchids!

Waxcap #24 - Splendid Waxcap

We are probably near the end of the Waxcap season and I am still missing some regulars (Slimy, Goblet, Earthy etc) but at least I have recorded a Splendid Waxcap (Hygroctbe splendidissima). Not in the East field where it first appeared and has come up every year until this one but in the South Firled where it first appeared more recently. Shame the rabbits or deer have trampled it!

Soprano Pipistrelle

No photo but given I haven't seem many bats this year I did get my bat detector out for one flying near the barn just before dusk. Turned out to be a Soprano Pipistrelle so not a new species for the site but a welcome sight nonetheless.

Waxcap #23 - Cedarwood Waxcap

I seem to have hundreds of Snowy Waxcaps this year - far more than usual. Some are pure white and some show a little tinge of colour. However a group caught my eye that were pretty much pale buff all over and a quick smell confirmed them as Cedarwood Waxcaps (Cuphophyllus russocoriaceus). The smell is intense and addictive.

New Species - Witches' Butter

Also on the piled Oak branches and also in profusion (see previous post) are many examples of a very squelchy fungus - Witches' Butter (Exidia glandulosa). Has a sort of brain-like appearance close up.

New species - Hairy Curtain Crust

I don't recollect recording Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum) before but it is a very common fungus found on dead wood. In this case some oak that had to be taken down last year was piled in the field and is now covered in hundreds of fruiting bodies of HCC. Its features are hairiness and zoning so easy to identify.

Waxcap #22 Crimson Waxcap

A bit battered but definitely a Crimson Waxcap (Hygrocybe punicea) in the East Field - although in a different spot to where I usually see them. I am definitely on high alert now for my favourite waxcap , the Splendid Waxcap which usually comes at the same time.

Honey Fungus

I have seen it here in the fields but here is Honey Fungus in its element, clustered around the base of a dead or dying tree.

Waxcap #21 - Butter Waxcap

In both East and West fields we have Butter Waxcaps fruiting. Sometimes hard to spot amongst the thousands of Golden Waxcaps but the gills are a giveaway as they are broadly attached.

Parasols by the compost heap

Parasols (Macrolepiota procera) emerging from the soil.

Meadow Coral

A big patch of Meadow Coral (Clavulinopsis corniculata) in the East Field. I notice that not all the individual branches are forked at the top although most are.

Waxcap #20 - Honey Waxcap

As ever a very photogenic Waxcap and easy to identify as well with its smell of honey. In the East Field which seems to be bagging most of the fungi action so far this year.

Waxcap #19 Scarlet Waxcap

A lovely group of Scarlet Waxcaps (Hygrocybe coccinea) in the West Field. I expect we'll see hundreds over the next few weeks.

Waxcap #18 - Parrot Waxcap

Suddenly lots of Parrot Waxcaps (Gliophorus psittacinus) in the West Field. They will probably be in the other fields now or soon. They are definitely one of the most attractive Waxcaps with their medley of colours. These are showing pale yellow, darker orangey yellow, pink and of course their trademark green.

Waxcap #17 - Snowy Waxcap (Cuphophyllus virgineus)

This group had a definite buff colouration - the sort you see on var ochraceopallida which is found on limestone. No smell so definitely Snowy rather than Cedarwood Waxcap which often does have some colouration.

Wrinkled Club - an occasional find here

I found a small patch of Wrinkled Club (Clavulina rugosa) in the South Field. That's the second Clavaroid this year so far - the other being White Spindles in the West Field.

Waxcap #16 - Pale Waxcap

In one of its usual spots in the South Field was a single Pale Waxcap. I am pretty convinced this is a separate species to the Meadow Waxcap. Boertmann says that because the only difference is colour it is treated as the same species but that is not the only difference in my opinion - the cap shape, and the stipe are also different. He does go on to say that he never finds intermediates so I am going with it being Cuphophyllus berkeleyi rather than C. pratensis.

Waxcap #15 - Meadow Waxcap

A bit common or garden after the the last two exciting Waxcaps recorded here but nevertheless a very handsome fungus. The Meadow Waxcap (Cuphophyllus pratensis) is distinctive - robust and with a deep apricot/orange cap and whitish decurrent gills, and is common on most waxcap sites.

Another new Waxcap - Garlic Waxcap - #14 for 2023

Having recently confirmed a major new species - the Papillate Waxcap, another rarely recorded Waxcap has turned up. This time in the West Field a small group of Garlic Waxcaps (Hygrocybe helobia) appeared . I knew right away from the squamules on the cap that it was one of just a few possible species and everything fitted for Garlic Waxcap but I wasn't getting the smell from the first couple I found. However a second fruiting produced the smell of garlic which was confirmed, unprompted, by a neighbour. Two new Waxcaps in one season - amazing.

Pinkgills coming now - lots of Sepia Pinkgills

It took me a while but I identified the group appearing in the East Field as Sepia Pinkgills. There are three largish scaly Pinkgills I have found here. The Lilac Pinkgill, the Felted Pinkgill and the Sepia Pinkgill. These are not felty enough to be Felted Pinkgills and the spores are wrong anyway. Not robust enough or the right colour for Lilac Pinkgill and everything fits for Sepia Pinkgill.

As if they owned the place.......

...which they probably think they do.

Waxcap #13 and major new species - Papillate Waxcap

Great to find a new Waxcap speices on site but especially brilliant for it to be a rare one. I was fairly confident I had found the Papillate Waxcap (Hygrocybe subpapillata) as I had pretty much eliminated anything else it could be but confirmation came yesterday from DNA analysis. There are very few records of this fungus!

Waxcap #12 - Pink Waxcap

Always good to see this stunner return. The iconic Pink Waxcap (Porpolomopsis calyptriformis) fruiting in the West Field.

Waxcap #11 - Persistent Waxcap

Not a great specimen and with the palest yellow gills but it checks out as Hygrocybe autoconica through the size of the spores. Not one I record a lot here despite it being a reasonably common Waxcap.

Butterfly Summary

Another not very good year for Butterflies which seem to be on a general decline. To date I've seen 15 species this year and there is still a chance of a late addition such as a Painted Lady. In 2014 I had recorded 20 species by the end of August and added Painted Lady in September. In terms of quantities the big winners are Holly Blues and Red Admirals and I have certainly seen more of both these species this year than everbefore, lots more of both. There have been more Peacocks this year than in the last few years but they are not back to the numbers of 10 years ago. Other than that most species are down in number though there are still I hope enough Common Blues and Marbled Whites to keep the site viable. Also great to see the single Silver-washed Fritillary - a magnificent butterfly. Photo is one of the many Red Admirals.

Waxcap #10 - Orange Waxcap

And its classic Orange Waxcap (Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens) - bi-coloured cap and beautiful pale yellow stipe. In the South Field where I have seen this species before.

Mealy Meadowcap

THis has been found here once before but this time it is in a different field and is a classic fungi of unimproved grassland so worth another post. It is a chunky unit and is pretty similar in a number of respects as the elusive Black Magic (Dermoloma magicum) which was detected here as part of the eDNA study so I spent a while making sure it was the meadowcap. I would like to find Black Magic but this is still a great find.

Waxcap #9 - Dingy Waxcap

Now fruiting in both East and West fields. One of my favourite Waxcaps - cruelly named by a fool, The distinctive look, reddening/browning of gills and stipe and chemical smell make identification straightforward.

Waxcap #8 for 2023 - Glutinous Waxcap

These are usually an occasional species here but I found a few scattered around the East Field. Easy to id because they are simply very gloopy - to the extent of being difficult to hold in the hand.

Waxcap #7 - Yellow Foot Waxcap

In both East and West Fields and there are a number of waxcaps coming through now. The season strated late but is now early - it must be the volumes of rain.

Hornets in the roof

Removing some of the climber as part of the new roof revealed a European Hornet's (Vespa crabro) nest under the soffit board which is good to see as they are a useful insect to have around. What was puzzling was that just over a metre away was a wasps nest also under the soffit board. As I understood it Hornets will prey on wasps and so wasps will avoid building nests close to hornets. Maybe the wasps were there first.

Waxcap #6 - Citrine Waxcap

A little later than usual but there are some Citrine Waxcaps (Hygrocybe citrinovirens) around in the West Field (whcih seems to be seeing most of the fungi action at the moment). The white gills with tinge of lime green are a giveaway.

New species - Collared Earth Star

I do not often see Earthstars so I was surprised to find more than a dozen Collared Earthstars (Geastrum triplex) close to where the new hedge had been planted. Whether the spores came in with the hedging, or more likely, fruiting was encouraged by the disturbance of the planting, I can't say. They are often found in drier situations as will occur under a hedge. The genus Geastrum are related to Stinkhorns with a similar 'egg' that develops into the strange fruiting body looking like some alien lifeform.

Waxcap #5 - Vermilion Waxcap

Very pleased to record the Vermilion Waxcap (Hygrocybe miniata) as I don't often see it here. The dry cap covered in tiny scales is a big clue as is the slightly crenulated, narrowly yellow margin.

Waxcap #4 - Spangle Waxcap

Good to catch this Waxcap in the East Field - the red striae on the cap, the viscidity and the darkening at the top of the stipe were the tell-tale signs.

Waxcap #3 - Blackening Waxcap

A lovely group of a dozen or so Blackening Waxcaps near the barn. I have never seen more than two or three in one place before.