Waxcap #11 - Splendid Waxcap

Not fruiting yet in the East Field where it appears usually and in numbers but the small clump in the South Field is back. I am pleased to see my favourite Waxcap appearing at last.

Waxcap #10 - Crimson Waxcap

I'm a bit behind with the Waxcaps this year so a bit out of order here's the most recent one - Crimson Waxcap (Hygrocybe punicea). For some reason I get just one or two of these. They may be slow to grow or it may be that conditions suit them only at this one place.

New Species - Skinny Club

It's starting to be a superb Clavaroid year with a second new species in a week. I have only seen the Skinny Club (Clavaria incarnata) once before and now have around 20 specimens spread around in the East Field. I say spread around they are all associated with Meadow Waxcaps. I was alerted to this association recently and it certainly was borne out here,

Olive Earthtongue

Not really The Narth wildlife as I found it in a cemetery a few miles away but such an unusual fungus I am posting it as something I would like to find here. Also it is definitely a good year for Earthtongues so I am hopeful of some Earthtongue activity here. Microglossum olivaceum is not often recorded but has been seen at a few sites this year.

New species - Pointed Club

The fungi season here is not up to scratch. Whilst 15 Waxcaps is a good haul I would have expected to be in the twenties by now. However a new Clavaroid species is excellent news so a single Pointed Club (Clavaria acuta) is very welcome.

Yellowbased Pinkgill

Not here but at New Grove Meadows close by I was able to photograph this Pinkgill which I only saw for the first time last October at the same site. A close relative of the Brightsky and Big Blue Pinkgills. An impressive fungus - I hope it turns up here at some point.

Waxcap #9 - Scarlet Waxcap

The Waxcap action has been slow this year here but here is one of the regulars - the Scarlet Waxcap (Hygrocybe coccinea). It is fruiting in the East Field but the photo is an old one as the sheep or other animal had trampled these ones.

Sheep back on the meadows work

We didn't manage to get the sheep here last year for the first time but we have five hard-working Jacobs Sheep doing some aftermath grazing this year. Of course we also have deer and rabbits grazing so between the lot of them the job should get done. The grass is more plentiful than last year partly because of weather and partly because I cut a little earlier so the grazing is definitely needed.

Waxcap #8 - Pale Waxcap

An old photo as the specimen was damaged. Interestingly it was in the lawn area near the house where increasingly I'm finding waxcaps in the last few years. This area is getting slightly different treatment to the fields with very little cutting taking place as the rabbits keep the sward shortish. The key point is no nutrients or chemicals so the fungi thrive.

Waxcap #7 - Meadow Waxcap

I expect there will be hundreds of these soon but here's the trailblazer. The first Meadow Waxcap of the season in the East Field.

Waxcap #6 Citrine Waxcap

Quite a few around as usual although this is apparently a rare to occasional Waxcap. I have to look closely to check whether a specimen is a Citrine Waxcap or a more common Persistent Waxcap but a greeny tint to the cap and similar to the whitish gills does distinguish it as the Persistent Waxcap is usually yellow in both cap and gills. Old photo as the fruiting ones today were looking well past their best.

Waxcap#5 - Golden Waxcap

They have been around for a while in ones and twos but are now fruiting in large numbers in the East Field. Probably the most common Waxcap here although the Meadow Waxcap which fruits later has similar numbers.

White Spindles (Clavaria fragilis)

Several clumps of this fungus in the West Field a couple of weeks ago. The first clavaroid of 2024.

Waxcap #4 Dingy Waxcap

One of my favourites - partly because it's rarely recorded, partly because it is easily identifiable - once you know the key points. Despite looking somewhat similar to some other waxcaps such as Blushing, Earthy and Nitrous. For example it bruises in a unique way going slowly brownish or faintly reddish as opposed to the quick and vivid reddening of the Blushing Waxcap. It also has a chemical smell which distinguishes it from the Earthy Waxcap - which smells earthy! It was in the East field a couple of weeks ago and is newly fruiting in the West field.

Waxcap #3 - Spangle Waxcap

Actually it is the last one I have found but I'll call it #3 for simplicity. Usually one of the earlier ones but not the very early ones so about right for timing this year this is one of the small yellow/reddish ones that can be difficult to identify, The greaseiness of cap and stipe, the darker reddish striations and a darkening of the top of the stipe from yellow to reddish are all signs of Hygrocybe insipida.

Waxcap #2 - Fibrous Waxcap

I've been remiss in logging this year's Waxcaps (apart from the very early Parrot Waxcap way back in April). Here's one that I've seen for a few weeks and I'll log the others shortly. I've seen this in the East Field and in large numbers in the West Field. This one from the West Field shows the distinctive colour and fibrous texture of the cap.

Hard Fern

We have too much fernage here - I ought to cut it back a bit on site more than I do. Having said that the ferns are, Bracken excepted, interesting to look at. Many are also difficult to identify, particularly the larger ferns formed of a crown at ground level and fronds radiating up from it. One that at certain times of year is easy to distinguish is Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant). It is common in Manor Wood and at times the fertile fronds are erect and the sterile fronds spreading.

New Beetle Species - Pterostichus sp

One to almost add to my poor Beetles list (only nine species on it although I definitely have some Ladybirds to add). I can't quite be specific as this Ground Beetle has been divided into two species and to differentiate them requires dissection and examination of the male genitalia. I'll just put it down as Pterostichus nigrita/rhaeticus

Meadows review 2024

Now that the meadows are cut the strange season can be reviewed. There was definitely some major differences in the flower succession and frequency which I think are have been influenced by weather effects and also large numbers of rabbits and deer. Of course the frequency of many flowers does vary year by year as the meadow very gradually heads towards a stable mix of species over decades. It is fascinating watching species spread from often just a few examples to thousands and then recede into some sort of balance. Examples include Lousewort that started with 3 or 4 flowers in the West Field and ended up for the last two years with whole areas dominated by it. This year, hardly any at all in the West Field though it has appeared sparsely in the other fields for the first time. Also Eyebright that has in the last three years taken over huge areas (photo above)whilst the previously ubiquitous Yellow Rattle has subsided greatly. I am interested in the way different species ebb and flow but for eleven years the orchid numbers have just increased year on year from 11 orchids in 2012 to 945 in 2023 but this year only 312! I think there are two main causes, some weather effects and rabbits (and deer) predation. The impact of weather is indicated by the deer and rabbit prove cage I constructed in 2023. In its first year there were 178 orchids in the cage which is about 10m by 5m. This year there were 84, so a drop of about 50%. Neither deer nor rabbits responsible. Also a second cage added this year (this time in the west field) had only 14 orchids and I was expecting a lot more. However outside this cage the drop is much bigger. Orchids outside the cage last year were 945-178= 767. Outside the cage this year were 312-84 =228 so a drop of 70%. I think this extra drop is due to rabbits mainly of which there were record numbers this year. One thing that might have affected the situation is that we were away in April when some orchid rosettes would have been appearing. Had I been here then I would have been protecting them from rabbits so it is possible that more came up and were destroyed in my absence. I think I'll know more next year!

Grasshoppers

It's worth mentioning that there do seem to be reasonable numbers of grasshoppers this year whilst butterflies are in very short supply and also most invertebrates. I haven't been identifying them but this one came and sat on a piece of wood so got snapped and identified as a Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus).

And now Goldfinches in numbers too

We have always had Goldfinches around but usually just a few at a time. Yesterday the flock of Swallows was joined by a flock of Goldfinches - I counted at least 20. Like the Swallows there were a number of juveniles in the flock - or should I say 'charm' of Goldfinches. Surprisingly they were on the ground but I expect that part of the attraction at the moment is the large numbers of thistles that are turning to seed. I have been removing them but there's enough thistle seed still around to feed a lot of Goldfinches.

Swallows still here...

Well it's been a week and the Swallows are still here on a daily basis. The numbers vary from day to day and time to time but there's usually six or seven and often double that. Fantastic to watch them hawking from the house and even better out in the fields as they fly past at speed.

Pine Martens in Manor Wood

Obviously no photo but the first reports are coming in of Pine Marten sightings in Manor Wood which we are abutt all along our Northern boundary. I shall be checking for curly spraint from now on when I am in the wood. Exciting times. It seems that the Martens have come across the river from their release sites in the Forest of Dean.

Swallow central

Yesterday afternoon there were up to 21 Swallows on the overhead electric cables just in front of the house. A lot were youngsters being fed and also being taught to hawk for themselves with the adults flying tirelessly over our fields. What a great sight. It's been quite a few years since Swallows last nested in our barn and whilst there has been fairly regular hawking by one or two Swallows over the fields this year, I was amazed to see so many using the site for feeding. I just hope that this portends some nesting here next year. There was also a couple of juvenile Goldfinches in the mix who rested on teh wires in the middle of the Swallow throng for a couple of minutes

Cranefly

A stunning looking Cranefly on the door jam at the back of the house. I hoped I might easily identify it but I hadn't realised just how many Cranefly species there are and without a book it is difficult. I reckon it is probably Tipula irrorata but might be Tipula truncurum. I'll see if I can decide which it is!

New Species - White-lipped Snail

Finding three snails in an overturned wheelbarrow I checked their 'lip' colour and one of them is definitely a White-lipped Snail (Capaea hortensis). That makes three Snail species recorded here so far - I had already recorded the Brown-lipped Snail and the Garden Snail. No doubt there will be plenty more species to find.

Major new species - Common Lizard

No photo but I'm delighted to see a Common Lizard for the first time here. I have wondered why I have never come across the UK's most common reptile in 13 years here despite seeing Grass Snakes, Slow Worms and almost certainly an Adder. I went back with my camera to where it was last spotted but to no avail.

Parasol

A rather nice example of a young Parasol (Macroplepiota procera) on the compost heap. The Macrolepiota species can be difficult and Kibby raises the issues of species' complexes in the genus. This example didn't display the usual snake skin like markings on the stipe but I am happy it is M. procera.

Bad year for Butterflies (so far)

The number of species and the numbers of individuals are down this year, the poor summer so far hasn't helped at all. As of the last few sunny days there have been Meadow Browns around but the main miss so far are Marbled Whites. I haven't seen a single individual yet. As of today it's raining again so I'm just hoping the next hot spell yields some of those gorgeous Marbled Whites. Only eight species recorded so far in 2024. By this date in 2023 I had recorded exactly double that number. In case it helps magic them up I attach a photo of a Marbled White.

Treble Bambi

Now it looks like a cohort of does with three young fawns have moved in - I am being careful not to frighten them as the youngsters may not be very good at jumping fences in a hurry. I am not a fan of deer nibbling the hedges or fruit trees but the youngsters are quite sweet.

Bambi at The Beeches

Whilst the sheer number of deer here can be an issue for the maedows (which in part look more like pasture in places due to grazing by rabbits and deer) they can also be an appealing sight. Coming across a fawn hidden away or peeking out is one example and here's the latest fawn seen on site. It became slightly separated from mum and tried to get into the field she was in but failed. However a few minutes later she came looking for it and a quick suckle later all was well with the world.

Ant Hills

Some old pastures and just a succession of anthills and their size can indicate the time that the field has been pasture as they grow very slowly in height each year. Whilst the anthills in the meadows here get knocked down each year when the hay is cut the ones outside the meadow are left to grow in size and I would estimate they add an inch or so in height each year or maybe a little less. They are formed by Yellow Meadow Ants. One side benefit is that we get regular visits from Green Woodpeckers whoc come to feed on the ants. The photo is one on the side of the drive.

Bee Orchid

For the third time a single Bee Orchid has appeared in the piece of grass above the South Field. The first one was in 2017, the next in 2021 and now one in 2024. This one is tiny and it is a feature of the Spotted Orchids this year that many are on the small side. It must be a weather effect I think. This year's Bee Orchid might be on the site of the one that appeared in 2017. It's difficult to be sure.

Collapse of Orchid population

Perhaps that is too apocalyptic an opinion of this year so far. Here are the stats. Orchids recorded as of June 6 - 170. Orchids recorded in 2023 by June 6 - 477. We are at 36% of last year's figure (so far) and that is after 11 years of increases every year. We went on to record 945 Orchids last year so using the same stats we might get to 340 or so which in effect takes us back to the 2020 numbers. I have no clear idea of why numbers should have declined for the first time but one important factor must be the rabbit population which is at an all time high here. There has been no mixamatosis for a few years and the rabbit population has soared and you can see that much of the field now has a much shorter sward. Deer populations have also increased substantially and they regualarly graze the fields in numbers. However I now have two deer and rabbit proof areas and even here I would say that orchid populations are down from last year so it may be that weather is also a factor. I am confident that populations will recover and look forward to breaching the 1,000 orchid mark soon. Graph at the top shows total orchid numbers up to 2023 and the total so far in 2024.

Swallows hawking over the West Field

It's been a number of years since Swallows last nested in our barn and there's been a definite decline in the number of Swallows seen in the village. It was doubly cheering therefore to see a pair hawking here yesterday.

Cow Wheat in Manor Wood

A great show of Cow Wheat next to the main track in Manor Wood.

Large Grass Snake

Unfortunately deceased but an impressive animal at 33 inches long. Also check out those tiny teeth. This is the second time I have found a dead grasssnake here. The first time in 2022 I had seen the snake alive in the field and the next day something had predated it. This time the snake was near the barn in the rough lawn we have and whilst it clearly had a wound it was difficult to know how it got there unless maybe a Buzzard had dropped it. A Buzzard had been around the last few days but they usually get harried by the Crow owners of this place so that is one possible explanation.

Flower update

It now looks like it's going to be a very poor year for orchids - the first year that numbers will be going down and not just down but way down. Unless things change of course and the weather tempts them up. I'm guessing it must be weather related but I don't see why lots of rain would keep orchids underground. Strangely enough a plant that does love the damp, Lousewort, has also appeared very differently this year. It spread from an initial few flowers about ten years ago to such an extent that it covered large areas of the West Field last year. This year it seems to be occuring in small patches but over a wider area. Not only right at the top of the West Field but also a couple of patches in different grassy lawn areas - in other words the first time I have seen it outside the West Field. I can only observe the flowers - I can't explain what happens! Photo is some Lousewort near the house.

New Species - Thick -legged Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Considering the huge number of beetle species in the UK, I have a very poor list of those I have recorded here. They are not always easy to identify so that is one of the reasons. So it is good to see one that is easily named as it is a distinctive and colourful beetle with, as its name suggests, singularly thick 'thighs'.

Yellow Archangel

This is one of my favourite of the non-meadow flowers here. It is to be found in rough ground and at the edge of the treed areas. There is a good showing this year at the edge of the East Field.

Orchid update

Before we went away it was trending to be a very good year for Orchids with levels trending above last year's numbers. Since our return however I am struggling to find rosettes so we are now well below last year's. It could be that the vast numbers of bluebells are hiding the orchids. We'll have to see what happens in the next few weeks when the orchids will start to flower. Meanwhile one good bit of news is that there is again a Twayblade in the West Field - the same one has now come up three years in a row.

Horseshoe bat back in the shed!!

I had given up on our Lesser Horseshoe bat who has been living in our shed since 2014. I assumed he must have died or moved on as I had not seen him this year. Today he is back. I'll have to stop using the shed again!

New Grove Meadows

Just a mile or so from here New Grove Meadows has two orchid species that I would love to see here. It has stacks of Green-winged Orchids (photo) and a a few Early Purple Orchids.

New Hoverfly Species - Hook-barred Spearhorn

I found this natty hoverfly drowning in one of the small sink ponds and took some photos whilst it was drying off. It turns out to be the Hook-barred Spearhorn (Chrysotoxum festivum) which is to be found in the South of England and Wales.

Bluebells

There is a certaim point in the year when I feel like a Bluebell farmer - here's a particularly good crop in the West Field.

Orchid and Stoat update!

First of all - Stu the Stoat (or some relative) is back. I saw a flash of something moving fast and rushed to the binos. In the field Stu took a rabbit - it was all a bit gruesome but that's Stoats for you. I wonder whether it is living under the shed; there is a well-used burrow there. Meranwhile the Orchid count has reached 127. On the same day last year it was 72 and the yeqar before 51. I am not reading too much into it - it could just be that the season is a little earlier.

First identified bee in 2024

Bees can be difficult but I found a dead one in the field and was able to confirm it is a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris ssp audax). Several of the Bombus genera are similar but this Queen had all the right features.

Spring so far

Despite the rain the Spring wildlife is progressing nicely. Lots of 7-spot Ladybirds for some reason, also quite a few Siskins on the bird feeder which is not a common sight. We are up to 91 Orchid rosettes which is about a week ahead of last year but that might just be an earlier season rather than a sign of lots more orchids. The other feature is a widespread fruiting of the Fragrant Funnel, easy to identify as its strong aniseed smell gives it away. This is an old photo of a Siskin - a handsome bird.

New Species - Garden Snail

Saw a couple of these largeish snails yesterday so I decided to add a second snail to The Beeches' list (already listed the Brown-lipped Snail). It is the Garden Snail (Helix aspersa) which appropriately is found in gardens but not in woodland or scrub.