The Naturalists' Notebook

A small group met on Frodsham’s, Marsh Lane Motorway Bridge before following the lane westwards towards No 6 tank. It was interesting to see how the shrubs alongside the track had recovered after being stripped of foliage by the larvae of ermine moths earlier in the year. Most had re-clothed themselves with leaves but only one small spindle bush had produced any fruit, presumably having escaped the ravages the rest of the spindle trees had suffered from the caterpillar invasion. No surprises were to be found on the pool of No 6 tank with shelduck, teal, tufted duck and lapwing being the only birds seen in numbers, however good views were had of buzzard,kestrel, sparrowhawk and a peregrine which performed a vanishing act from where it had been sitting on the ground. Good numbers of goldfinch were moving around the area along with the now ever increasing starling flocks. Retracing our steps we headed back towards the Weaver bends, several meadow pipits posed nicely on fence posts and 2 common snipe whizzed away from the fields alongside the path as we approached the River Weaver. Again we failed to find any ‘special’ migrant waders on the bends with redshank, dunlin, heron, cormorant and a ruddy duck being the main editions to the list.        

 Dave Hardy

Quite a productive foray by myself and Sabena over a series of days.

Blackening Russule Russula nigricans, Red-cracked Bolete Xerocomus chrysenteron, The Charcoal Burner Russula cyanoxantha, Common Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus, Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, Judas’s Ear Auricularia auricula-judae, Cramp-balls or King Alfred’s Cakes Daldinia concentrica, Orange Peel Fungus Aleuria aurantia, Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes, Lilac Bonnet Mycena pura, Beefsteak Fungus Fistulina hepatica, Dead-man’s Fingers Xylaria polymorpha, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Jelly Rot Fungus Phlebia tremellosa.

I had a phone call from Dave Bryant asking whether I had seen the Orange Peel Fungi at Dibbinsdale. I had not, these must have sprung up in the two days since I visited. I managed to take the afternoon off work on the 15th September 2010 and jumped on a train to Bromborough Rake. I quickly found a number of these attractive cup fungi on a patch of ground close to where I’d photographed the mass of Oyster Mushrooms on the 11th September. 

Orange Peel Fungus Aleuria aurantia

A small group of the morbidly named Dead Man’s Fingers Xylaria polymorpha were sprouting from a beech stump.

A nice specimen of Jelly Rot Fungus Phlebia tremellosa was on a particularly well rotted fallen log. You can clearly see the network of radiating folds and ridges covering the surface.

A particularly glutinous looking Slime Mould Enteridium lycoperdon had a small spider stuck to its surface.

A return visit to Dibbinsdale LNR on the Wirral to forage for fungi on the 11th September 2010 proved what a difference a couple of weeks can make.

The Beefsteak Fungus Fistulina hepatica was now fully mature and had a sticky coating on the top.

A mass of Oyster Mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus had appeared on an ivy covered fallen tree trunk

Details of the gill structure viewed from below.

A large group of decaying fungi proved photogenic, these weren’t present on the last visit having quickly sprung up before ageing. After seeking advice I was told these are the aptly named Blackening Russula Russula nigricans.

A rather pungent smelling Common Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus had a gathering of flies. Every so often a parasitic wasp would buzz by and carry off one of the flies.

Glistening Ink Cap Coprinus micaceus peeking from a crevice on a beech tree trunk.

Common Earthballs Scleroderma citrinum were hiding amongst the fallen leaf litter.

Another fungi hunt this time to Eastham Country Park on the Wirral, 4th September 2010. More good finds and with the wet weather due this week it should be a great Autumn for fungi!

The distinctive foetid smell of the Common Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus in one area of the woods allowed me to sniff out this mature specimen. Other Stinkhorns were still at the embryonic egg stage.

Amethyst Deciever Laccaria amethystea

 Some huge chunky specimens of Southern Bracket Ganoderma australe

In contrast to the delicate Branched Oyster Pleurotus cornucopiae

A rather nice example of Turkeytail Trametes versicolor 

And finally a Myxomycetes going by the name of Dog Vomit Slime Mold Fuligo septica

An August bank holiday outing to Dibbinsdale LNR on the Wirral provided some interesting fungi finds including some edible and some deadly delights!

A 22cm wide fresh specimen of edible Beefsteak Fungus Fistulina hepatica. In a couple of weeks this will have matured to resemble a prime cut of meat.

The deadly Funeral Bell Galerina marginata that can be confused with the edible Sheathed Woodtuft Kuehneromyces mutabilis

The yellow spindle coral fungi Clavulinopsis fusiformis

Ochre Brittlegill Russula ochroleuca

Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare

Bay Polypore Polyporus badius = P. durus

A selection of distorted growths or Galls found on Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur trees, caused by a variety of Gall Wasps which lay eggs within leaf buds or the leaves.

Oak Artichoke Gall Andricus fecundator

Oak Common Spangle Gall Neuroterus quercusbaccarum 

Oak Marble Gall Andricus kollari

Oak Knopper Gall Andricus quercuscalicis