RXwildlife Sightings

This website rarely features fungi, so here is a particularly beautiful cluster of what I believe is Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes). These have been growing on the upturned stump of one of the long-dead elms between Rye’s Cricket Salts and the river, felled by last autumn’s gales. I sawed up this stump on 12th December and brought it back to my garage to store for firewood, and was surprised to discover these fungi growing on it in dark “lab conditions” last week, the blushing apricot of the smooth caps contrasting vividly with the rich brown of the velvety stems. Unfortunately, their beauty is very transient and the fungi are already dying with the remains of the elm from which they grew. (Click on photo to see it better)

The Woodland Trust has this autumn undertaken an ambitious programme of habitat creation, aimed at opening up areas for the development of nationally-rare lowland heath. This has been achieved by the clearance of secondary woodland, felling post-war conifer plantations and removing birch scrub both situated on land which had been agricultural until the construction of Powdermill Reservoir in 1930.
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A surprising selection of  fungi can be foung along the shingle ridges of the Beach Reserve, two species which are easy to find at the moment are Blackening waxcap (Hygrocybe nigrescens) and Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare). The picture below show a fresh Blackening Waxcap, as the fungi grows the cap and stem will start to turn black.

Blackening Waxcap

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Fungi rarely feature on this site, so here are two photos taken today of Parasol Mushrooms which I believe to be the edible Smooth Parasol, Macrolepiota procera, growing on a grassy bank on the north side of Leasam Hill. This is a common species locally, and these mature specimens are about 30 cm tall and 16 cm across. (Left-click on each photo to enlarge)

These charmingly named fungi found in a woodland near Brede. If you look closely you can see a hobbit footprint.

A fine display of Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasiculare) can now be found along the beach road near the footpath to Parkes Hide. The fungi would not be there if it were not for the rotting railway sleepers buried beneath the shingle which formed the track to the quarry in the early 1980’s.

At the viewpoint this morning I was surprised to find a female Migrant Hawker ovipositing and another pair in tandem this late in the season, several Common Darter were also powered up by the autumn sunshine. Also of interest was a group of 40 Blackening Waxcap (Hygrocybe conica) found in the nearby grassland. Bird highlights included, 8 Bearded Tit (3 male) from the viewing platform, 3 Tree Sparrow, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher and 15 Snipe from the main pit.

While in Brede High Wood yesterday, I found some pieces of green stained wood caused by the fungus Green Wood-cup (Chlorosplenium aeruginascens). The stained wood is often seen but the fruit bodies are less frequent. The infected wood was formerly used in marquetry.

This group of Jelly Ear was found on the Beach Reserve (see post 25th January).

Until today, Fairy Inkcap (Coprinus disseminatus) had only been recorded from one location at Castle Water. This common species can be found in large groups (often hundreds) on stumps of broad-leaved trees or on soil nearby.