Feeding frenzy

The bird feeders are a hive of activity with a constant stream of visitor including some birds I haven't seen on the feeders before. For the first time we have three separate feeders which helps capacity and species wise but it surprises me to see Blackcaps for example as regular visitors. I have just totted up the species seen in the last week and it comes to fifteen, namely - Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin and Blackcap. Pictured above is the agile Siskin enjoying some Sunflower Hearts.

Wood Forget-me-not close up

I am sometimes unsure of the extent to which some of the wildflowers I record on site are either deliberately planted in the past or are garden escapes. Perhaps it doesn't matter. One of those species is the Wood Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica). Whatever it is easy to characterize the Forget-me-nots, particularly the tiny-flowered ones as 'small blue flowers' but up close they are surprisingly colourful.

Fallow Deer

This is the first deer I have seen this year at The Beeches and she has been around for a couple of days - hopefully leaving the apple trees alone! Various other deer species are seen in the Wye Valley but nothing other than Fallow Deer so far here.

Fungi season so far

Now the first frosts have come and the fungi season is coming to an end it is worth reflecting on what a great season it has been for my first intensive period of finding and identifying grassland fungi. With expert help I have been present whilst well in excess of 100 species of fungi have been photographed and named. I guess it is already obvious that I am drawn to the amazing genus of Hygrocybe aka waxcaps and it has certainly been a great waxcap season. My favourite finds have been the Splendid Waxcap (H. splendissima), the Blushing Waxcap (H. ovina), the Toasted Waxcap (H. colemanniana) and the variety of the Snowy Waxcap that has a dark centre and faint brown striae (H. virginia var fuscescens). All are relatively rarely reported but being in the right part of the country in the right type of grassland and in a great waxcap season does increase your chances considerably. Illustrated is the delightful Hygrocybe virginia var fuscescens.

Great new waxcap - Blushing Waxcap

I haven't reported a new waxcap for a week or two although I have come across one or two new ones. Yesterday's find though was the spectacular Blushing Waxcap (Hygrocybe ovina), found in the neighbouring village of Penallt right at the end of a very wet fungi foray. Another of those waxcaps, undoubtedly underreported, but nonetheless having less than 20 reported sightings in Wales in the last 35 years according to one online source. Previously this year I have found several instances of Hygrocybe ingrata (no English name) which has a similar level of reporting.

Yet another obscure waxcap

I found this a fair distance away from here on the lower slopes of the Sugar Loaf near Abergavenny but decided to include it in the blog because my blog focus has dwindled to just waxcaps at the moment. It is a little recorded variety of the Snowy Waxcap namely Hygrocybe virginea var fuscescens. It is distingushed from the normal Snowy Waxcap by the central brown spot and the brown striations.

...and now the Toasted Waxcap

Found in a field on the English side of the Wye, the rarely recorded Toasted Waxcap (Hygrocybe colemanniana). I had a feeling that it was H colemanniana as soon as I spotted it but it took some detailed examination from an expert to confirm the id. What a great waxcap season it has been.