Second Waxcap of 2020

Say hello to the Citrine Waxcap (Hygrocybe citrinovirens). It first appeared about a week ago but there is a lot of it about now although it is drying out rapidly. The only other true grassland fungus I have seen is a single broken Entoloma (probably E. conferendum).

First Waxcap of 2020

It's the Fibrous Waxcap (Hygrocybe intermedia) - no surprise there, it usually comes early

Apple scrumping again

This cheeky so and so scrumped apples for ten minutes - he knew I was watching him as well.

Major New Species - Grass Snake

Yes - after nine years I have seen the first Natrix helvetica on site. I have only just caught up with the redesignation of the UK Grass Snake as N. helvetica rather than N. natrix. It is now the Barred Grass Snake apparently. Apart from my small pond and the neighbour's overgrown pond in the middle of his chicken run there isn't much water in the immediate vicinity but a serious Grass Snake (maybe an inch across and three or four feet long) raced away when I moved an upturned wheelbarrow on the large compost heap. There was a Slow Worm with the snake as well, who true to his name took a lot longer to make his escape. The snake left behind this skin. I replaced the wheelbarrow as this was possibly a breeding nest.

First Grassland Fungus of the Season

First up it's the Pink Domecap (Rugosomyces carneus). Conveniently fruiting right outside the back door.

Deer in the garden

Four youngsters marauding around today, eating any plants, stealing apples, typical teenagers. I managed a close up photo of this young buck.

Orchid totals

A good result at 307 Orchids - a 33% increase on last year's total. As usual the vast majority are Common Spotted. One definite Heath Spotted and a couple I am looking at closely that are either Heath Spotted or a hybrid. One Twayblade (but a different one to last year's single Twayblade) and that was damaged by the frost so didn't flower. Only 20 Broad-leaved Helleborines this year vs 23 last year - the three near the bottom of the South Field didn't show this year. A number of the Common Spotteds didn't flower after coming upand I think it was the weird weather that caused that. Still I'll take 307.