First Clavarioid of 2018

After yesterday's Waxcap we have today's Clavarioid - White Spindles (Clavaria fragilis). I feel the grassland fungi season is now underway........

Spangle Waxcap

It's been a very quiet year so far on the grassland fungi front. Just a Fibrous Waxcap or two in June and the odd Pinkgill. However yesterday we had the first Waxcap since June, a solitary small Spangle Waxcap (Hygrocybe insipida). It is typically one of the early ones to appear so maybe we are about to start the season proper? The fresh photo was out of focus so the above is a shrivelled version taken today.

New Species - Climbing Corydalis

In a hidden away corner I found a giant clump of Climbing Corydalis (Ceratocapnos claviculata). It may have been there in previous years but this is the first time I have recorded this on site though I have seen it on Trellech Common.

Rewilding - Beeches stylee

The first two rescue hogs are tonight in their soft release pen and in three days we open the door..... There should be plenty of natural, pesticide and chemical free food around for them and we hope that we can re-establish a breeding population here. We haven't seen a hedgehog on the property for about four years. Thanks to Carol and Philip at the Rescue Centre.

New Species - Red Cracking Bolete

It's becoming a good year for Boletes even if there are no other fungi around. I spotted a Bolete, which at first I assumed was another Scarletina Bolete but closer examination and cutting of the flesh, which yielded no colour change told me it was something different. I then noticed it was under Larch and after checking the options I realised it was the Red Cracking Bolete (Xerocomus chrysenteron).

Common Fleabane

The Fleabane patch, as it now is, is left as a late-flowering treat for invertebrates. This means it is getting bigger each year and there are now well over 50 plants in the patch. The conditions must be just damp enough in this low-lying part of the field as the species has not spread anywhere else.

New Species - Scarletina Bolete

There is very little fruiting of fungi - none in the fields since mid June - so it was nice to come across a group of Boletes under a Beech Tree. I was able to identify them from and one particular characteristic is that the bright yellow tubes turn immediately bright blue when cut. It is quite spectacular and when you add the striking brown cap colour and the deep red pores, it is a dazzling fungus. It is a new species for The Beeches although I did see it last year on a neighbour's lawn.