The Naturalists' Notebook

Report from Tony Carter:
On Monday, 14th October 2013 I went to Clock Face Country Park at the invitation of a colleague who works with Mersey Forest and played a part in the establishment of the park. He was interested to identify any of the fungi he had observed during his visits.

The notice board told me that the Park had been set up on the site of the old Clock Face Colliery in 1990, when it was planted out with a variety of trees to encourage wildlife. As it was such young woodland, I did not think we would find much, particularly as the dry weather seems to have discouraged fungi in more established woodland.  I was in for a surprise. Immediately upon arrival, under the gaze of a couple of circling buzzards, I found my first species in the car park, Lepista flaccida (Tawny Funnel).

Lepista flaccida (Tawny Funnel)

A large area of open grassland was very productive. We found three varieties of Hygrocybe (Waxcaps), including Hygrocybe psittacina (Parrot Waxcap) together a number of smaller fungi of various species.

Hygrocybe psittacina (Parrot Waxcap)

The finds included the highly poisonous Clitocybe rivulosa, seen in the picture below growing with Clavulinopsis helvola (Yellow Club). It is commonly known as Fool’s Funnel and also False Champignon, as it regularly grows in rings with the edible Marasmius oreades (Fairy Ring Champignon). The Clitocybe contains muscarine, which will make you very sick, so is not one to pick by mistake.

Clitocybe rivulosa

The broadleaf woodland produced a selection of Boletes, Lactarius (Milkcaps) and Russulas (Brittlegills) while the coniferous sections supported Cortinarius (Webcaps) and Inocybe species (Fibrecaps). One pine stump sported a very fine Tricholompsis rutilans (Plums and Custard).

Tricholompsis rutilans (Plums and Custard)

We collected and identified forty one species in just two hours despite the handicap of some severe rain showers.

What surprised us was the number of mycorrhizal fungi, those that grow in association with tree roots producing nutrients and stimulating growth.  It can take many years for such associations to develop. Modern practice is to inoculate plants with mycorrhizae, to establish and promote growth and this may well have been done to encourage tree population on an industrial site such as this.  How do they choose which varieties to inoculate?

 The final MNA coach trip of 2013 took us through the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton before climbing in a series of sharp bends onto the flat moorland of Goyt’s Moss along the A537 passing the ‘Cat and Fiddle’ the second highest inn in England, arriving just before lunch at Severn Trent Water’s Reservoir  – Carsingston Water.

Silver Y

We quickly donned waterproofs against the inclement weather and wandered to the wildlife centre – a heated hide giving great views through a large glass window across the reservoir and surrounding fields and spit. As we re-fuelled on sandwiches and hot drinks we noted the wildfowl – Tufties, Wigeon, Coot, Teal, Mallard, a few Great Crested Grebes, a distant Pochard and a scattering of Lapwing. A flock of 14+ Tree Sparrows flew into a bush just outside the hide window and occasionally flew onto the feeders. A few members caught a glimpse of a Weasel Mustela nivalis darting along a culvert in front of the hide. By its large size we surmised that it was a male. A Moth was fluttering on the hide window. Harry Standaloft managed to catch it in a specimen jar and DaveH identified it as a Silver Y Autographa gamma – this silver-grey coloured Moth with characteristic white y-shaped mark on the forewing is one of the UK’s commonest migrant moths. A female Common Earwig Forficula auricularia was sheltering from the rain on the hide wall – males and females can be distinguished by their tail pincers, which are more curved in males than females.

We took the well marked trail used by walkers and cyclists that runs around the reservoir stopping to examine a few Strawberry Snails Trichia striolata that can sometimes be found on Common Nettles Urtica dioica – some of which also had Galls at the base of the leaves caused by the Gall Midge Dasineura urticae.  We also noted Galls on Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria leaves caused by the Gall Midge Dasineura ulmaria. We stood to watch a few Gadwall and Pochard along with more Wigeon in Shiningford Creek before the path continued through woodland around to Land End Bird Hide. A Chiffchaff was calling – quite possibly having decided to overwinter here, other woodland birds including Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch and a small half dozen flock of Siskin. A few Plants were still in flower including Red Campion Silene dioica, Redshank Persicaria maculosa, Tufted Vetch Vicia cracca, Nipplewort Lapsana communis and Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea. There were also plenty of shiny berries with fruiting Blackberry Rubus fruticosa, Bullace Prunus domestica subsp. insititia, Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, Dogwood Cornus sanguine, Common Ivy Hedera helix, Elder Sambucus nigra, Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus and Black Bryony Tamus communis.

Haws

Ron Crosby was an excellent Fungi spotter so we were soon adding to the day’s list. There were a number of common Fungi species including Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon also known as Stags Horn Fungus due to its appearance which was growing on rotting stumps of broadleaved trees. There was a line of Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae lobes that looked uncannily like human ears hanging down from the branch of a mature Holly Ilex aquifolium – unfortunately out of reach for my camera lens – I did find a few smaller specimens growing on their more usual substrate of Elder Sambucus nigra. Fairies Bonnet’s Coprinus disseminatus a gregarious little Fungi forming dense masses swarming over rotting tree stumps and roots that hints at its other common name Trooping Crumble Cap.

Fairies Bonnets

Common Jellyspot

Sulphur Tuft

Glistening Inkcap Coprinus micaceus, Common Jellyspot Dacrymyces stillatus, Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes, Bleeding Broadleaf Crust Stereum rugosum, Hairy Stereum Stereum hirsutum, Many-zoned Polypore Trametes versicolor, Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa, Artist’s Bracket Ganoderma sp. Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare, King Alfred’s Cakes Daldinia concentrica, Coral Spot Nectria cinnabarina, Dock Rust Puccinia phragmitis on Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius leaves, some rather fine Oysterling Crepidotus sp.

Blushing Bracket

Oysterling

Ganoderma sp.

The best find was on a stump of Willow Salix sp. as we approached Sheepwash Hide – Silverleaf Fungus Chondrostereum purpureum – the common name is taken from the progressive silvering of leaves on affected branches – the fruiting body that is a fairly vivid violet colour develops undulating fruiting brackets with a pale zoned edge – a few patches were developing whitish hairs on the fruiting body surface.

Silverleaf Fungus

From Sheepwash Hide more Wildfowl with more Wigeon, Tufties, Coot, Mute Swans and a Grey Heron standing motionless out on the far bank. Fishing was good with both Great-crested Grebes and a Cormorant observed fighting to swallow large Fish – possibly Trout that they had caught. Fifteen Cormorants were hanging out with the good selection of Gulls resting on a spit – fifty or so Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, a lone Herring Gull, a few Common Gulls, dozen Black-headed Gulls and a Great Black-backed Gull in flight. Chris Butterworth saw a Dunlin fly in and briefly wander around. Other members also had good sightings from Sheepwash Hide – Alexander & co had watched a flighty flock of seven Red-breasted Mergansers and a couple of female Shoveler, John Clegg & co saw a flash of blue as a Kingfisher zoomed by, elsewhere DaveH watched a couple of male and a female Goldeneye from the dam. As we walked through Sheepwash car park we noticed some animal tracks carved onto a flat stone then found a great selection of wildlife expertly carved onto stone slabs surrounding the car park including a Bat, Rabbit, Stoat, Kingfishers, Nuthatch, Fox, Owl, Wren etc. We also found a grey coloured Moth camouflaged against the stone background that was later identified as a November Moth Epirrita dilutata.  We wandered back to the coach noting some early male catkins on Hazel Corylus avellana these will not normally open until next January or February.

November Moth

Nuthatch Carving

Kingfishers Carving

A wide photographic selection of birds, marine life, insects, mammals, orchids & wildflowers, fungi, tribal people, travel, ethnography, fossils, rocks & minerals etc. is available on my Alamy webpage

If you are interested in the wildlife of the North-west of England and would like to join the  walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website for details of our programme and how to join us.

Report from Tony Carter.
On Saturday 28th September, I led a fungal foray for the public at Ainsdale Sand Dunes Nature Reserve on behalf of Natural England.  We found about forty species, mostly the more common varieties such as Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric) , Paxillus involutus (Brown Rollrim), Lactarius tabidus (Birch Milkcap) and Pholiota squarrosa (Shaggy Scalycap). These are species a foray leader hopes for when assisting a group of novices.

Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric) Childwall 2006

Paxillus involutus (Brown Rollrim) Ainsdale 2008

Lactarius tabidus (Birch Milkcap) Ainsdale 2007

Pholiota squarrosa (Shaggy Scalycap) Icehouse Plantation, Hale 2011

However, one specimen, found by the gate leading into the paddock, was new to me. Pure white and woolly, it was densely covered in a powdery substance that came off easily when handled. I identified it to the group as a probable Cystoderma (Powdercap), which seemed logical at the time. Later microscopic observation and further research showed that it was a Dapperling, Cystolepiota pulverulenta. I had never seen one before. It is the first record for Ainsdale and VC59.  Ainsdale rarely fails to surprise.

Cystolepiota pulverulenta (Dapperling)
(Photograph courtesy of Mr. Peter Ross. Hand courtesy of Tony Carter!)

According to the British Checklist, this species is normally found in southern counties such as Oxfordshire, Somerset and Devon. Is this another species moving north with a warming climate?

Report by Tony Carter:
On Sunday 22nd September 2013, I joined a colleague who was leading a public foray for The National Trust at Formby Nature Reserve. I normally cover the area between the Pinfold and Fishermans Paths so I had not previously looked for fungi in this part of the coast. We eventually identified 64 species of fungus. I was surprised that, although the habitat in both areas is the same, there was a marked difference in the predominance of some species.  Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar) fruits in hundreds at Ainsdale. I have never recorded Geastrum fimbriatum (Sessile Earthstar), yet at Formby we found dozens of G. fimbriatum but only one triplex.

We also recorded lots of large Chroogomphus rutilus (Copper Pin), an occasional find at Ainsdale.

Auriscalpium vulgare (Earpick Fungus), that grows from buried pine cones, is one that we struggle to find at Ainsdale. Our inexperienced public found them with ease. But there was no sign of any Strobilurus tenacellus (Pinecone Cap), a common species at Ainsdale.

Auriscalpium vulgare (Earpick Fungus)

Later in the day we had a look at the outer sand dunes, not an ecosystem we look at very often. We found four species within ten minutes, all associated with Ammophila (Marram Grass). The star was a Melanoleuca (Cavalier) that I eventually identified as Melanoleuca cinereifolia. The one we found was a very light brown. There is a lighter coloured variation named maritima, now incorporated into cinereifolia. The spores, microscopic features and substrate are right and no other species fits.

An alternative view from Tony Carter.
The warden of the Reserve asked if I would lead a fungus foray for the public. As the MNA had fixed the 21st for a programmed visit and I had never been to the site, it seemed to be a good opportunity to acquaint myself with the area and see if it was suitable to hold such an event.  So, while other members were being delighted by Hobbies and Marsh Harriers, I was wandering around a small and dry woodland, looking for fungi.

I only found twenty-four species in two hours. Most of them were wood-decaying fungi, such as Fistulina hepatica (Beefsteak Fungus) on a fallen oak tree. There were very few mycorrhizal fungi, those that grow in association with plants, which one would expect in a healthy wood. Also missing were many of the most common fungi, essential for a public foray.

One  good find was a group of Gymnopilus junonius (Spectacular Rustgill) under another oak. In the USA, it is known as Laughing Jim.

Happily, I got back to the viewing area in time to see a Purple Sandpiper so my visit was not totally disappointing.

Seven members met at Sir Thomas Street for the 487 bus at 9.15. Due to the withdrawal of the number 24 from West Kirby, we had to go to Ness Gardens and walk from there. Three hardy walkers set off for the even longer way around by Inner Marsh Farm but the rest of us walked by Burton Wood, Burton churchyard and Puddington Lane. It was a sunny day, and surprisingly warm.  By the roadside we came across a poor trembling Rabbit with half-closed eyes. It bore no sign of damage, but it must surely have been hit by a car.

We met seven other members in the car park. While the rest of us were greeting, Jim and John went into the main hide overlooking the Scrape and saw the only Kingfisher of the day, although there were to be several other good birds for the rest of us later. The Scrape produced Canada Geese, Mute Swans, one Black Swan, Greylag Geese, Mallards, Coots, Shovellers and Teal. Two Buzzards were circling above and Swallows were still about. On the feeder outside there were Chaffinches and Goldfinches.

On the way to the other hide for lunch there were good displays of late flowers, including Perennial Sow Thistle, Fleabane and Hemp Agrimony.

Hemp Agrimony

Perennial Sow Thistle with a Carder Bee

From the second hide we saw only a Kestrel hovering and a Carrion Crow. There was some intent muttering and staring through telescopes at a brown mark on a distant bush. Was it an Owl?  No, just a natural feature. On the way back, however, a flock of Lapwings went up. We searched the skies and were rewarded with a pair of Hobbies. Then a Marsh Harrier flew low over the reeds and a Snipe went very fast in the opposite direction.

The sun brought out many butterflies, including a Red Admiral, lots of Large Whites, a Comma and a Speckled Wood. There was a Common Darter dragonfly on the railing. One Alder leaf had a strange deformity, looking like a gall, but when we turned the leaf over we saw that the swelling was empty, just a swollen shape next to the midrib.

Another Alder tree had unusually big glossy leaves and larger-than-usual cones. Was it a different species or is this just natural variation?

All around the reserve there were open-fronted bird boxes on the ground, each with a laminated picture inside, which was some sort of treasure trail for children. Lots of wood sculpture, too. There were wooden bluebells by the entrance, a wooden woodlouse by the woodpile, badgers going in and out of tunnels in the woods and a woodpecker on the side of a tree.

Amongst the many genuine bird boxes up in the trees was a bat box, accompanied by yet more wood sculptures, this time of fruit bats. Interesting for the kids, but whether the real bats would fnd them encouraging is another matter!  The best piece of art was a Heron sculpture by Paul Bearman, commissioned with funds donated by the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art.

Back in the main hide over the Scrape, the Warden’s telescope was on a Curlew Sandpiper, which we were all able to have a good look at. Some then went to the hide called the Blockhouse and saw Little Grebe, Snipe again, Marsh Harrier again and a Reed Bunting.  Then back through the woods to Ness Gardens. This morning’s distressed Rabbit had now become Corpse of the Day, lying dead in the gutter with its paws in the air.