Sad sight of a nest and colony of Honey Bees that was using an old bird nest box found on the ground after being blown out of its tree by Storm Franklin. Most bees were dead but a small number were still alive and gathered in a huddle to keep warm.
It's a shame all the photos and specimen plates tend to show 'perfect' examples. There are a lot of very odd fungi around (and I don't mean Devil's Fingers, Red cage et al). Ironically the only illustration for Chicken of the Woods in Phillips shows an early stage when it looks like bright yellow cavity filler!
Could be. Phillips describes it as having an "uneven, lumpy and wrinkled, suede-like" upper surface, "lemon-yellow or yellow-orange, drying pallid or straw-coloured, the lower surface more yellow". Also known as Sulphur Polypore. Looks quite an old specimen from what can be seen of upper surface. The other possibility would be Lumpy Bracket, which often has greenish algae growing among the hairs on the upper surface of older specimens. Chicken favours Oak, Lumpy Beech but both occur on a variety of other deciduous trees, including Willow
Hi Mike, yes it did look like it had been there for quite a while & 'Lumpy Bracket' does appear to be a much better match for
shape & colour apart from the underside which on this is lumpy but smooth compared to a stippled underside texture on the
'Lumpy Bracket' - looks like it could be another one of those anomalies!
Could be. Phillips describes it as having an "uneven, lumpy and wrinkled, suede-like" upper surface, "lemon-yellow or yellow-orange, drying pallid or straw-coloured, the lower surface more yellow". Also known as Sulphur Polypore. Looks quite an old specimen from what can be seen of upper surface. The other possibility would be Lumpy Bracket, which often has greenish algae growing among the hairs on the upper surface of older specimens. Chicken favours Oak, Lumpy Beech but both occur on a variety of other deciduous trees, including Willow
Chat Moss 2 small dragonflies still active in the late morning sunshine today which I thought was quite incredible given the time of year. Either Black Darter or Common Darter but too high to confirm identification.
2 Black Darter dragonflies- no doubt still active due to the very mild weather
Fungi (that I could identify). 16 Fly Agaric - a patch of 14 plus 2 singles Birch Bracket Penny Bun Yellow Russula Common Earthball
Still lots I cant, including a couple of the attached photos (the pure white one and the white one with the yellow in the centre of its cap). Open to suggestions.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Wednesday 27th of October 2021 02:20:35 PM
Hi Steve, I'm not that good at identifying birds & Fungi is definitely way out of my league but the nearest matches
I can find are 'Destroying Angel Mushroom' for the pure white one & 'Yellow Fieldcap Mushroom' for the yellow tipped one.
Lez.
Hi Les. Yellow Fieldcap certainly looks spot on. Destroying Angel looks a good shout as well with some internet photos looking very like mine, but according to internet photos it has white gills whereas mine had more brownish gills, although this doesnt show in my photo. Big thanks for your help.
2 Black Darter dragonflies- no doubt still active due to the very mild weather
Fungi (that I could identify). 16 Fly Agaric - a patch of 14 plus 2 singles Birch Bracket Penny Bun Yellow Russula Common Earthball
Still lots I cant, including a couple of the attached photos (the pure white one and the white one with the yellow in the centre of its cap). Open to suggestions.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Wednesday 27th of October 2021 02:20:35 PM
Hi Steve, I'm not that good at identifying birds & Fungi is definitely way out of my league but the nearest matches
I can find are 'Destroying Angel Mushroom' for the pure white one & 'Yellow Fieldcap Mushroom' for the yellow tipped one.
2 Black Darter dragonflies- no doubt still active due to the very mild weather
Fungi (that I could identify). 16 Fly Agaric - a patch of 14 plus 2 singles Birch Bracket Penny Bun Yellow Russula Common Earthball
Still lots I cant, including a couple of the attached photos (the pure white one and the white one with the yellow in the centre of its cap). Open to suggestions.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Wednesday 27th of October 2021 02:20:35 PM
Various fungi - many unidentified. But ones I could were: 3 Fly Agaric The remains of the Stinkhorn seen last week Sulphur Tuft A few Earthballs Turkey Tail A large patch on Common Earthstars Yellow Russula
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 23rd of October 2021 10:31:22 PM
At least two Painted Lady butterflies amongst excellent numbers of Small Tortoiseshell, Peacocks, several Common Blue and a Comma along the western edge of Little Woolden Moss NR.
Incredible number of dragonflies over the reserve too, superb to see!
c40+ Peacock butterflies mainly in two small areas (of thistle and a buddleia) along the very western edge of Little Woolden Moss NR this afternoon, along with c16 Red Admiral and smaller numbers of Small Tortoiseshell and Gatekeeper with a single Painted Lady.
A single Peacock butterfly on the wing this early afternoon along the edge of Rindle Wood and moving around trying to take in the few rays of warmth from the sun.
As you know, fungi are not my thing but I would suggest; 2nd Pic = Scytinotus Longinquus - Peeling Oysterling 4th pic = Ascocoryne Sarcoides - Jelly Drops
Cant take any credit though, I use an App on my Iphone called "Picture Mushroom" ! I find it pretty good, although wouldn't use as a basis to eat anything!
I also use another good App called "PictureThis" for plants.
I found a few interesting fungi that I have no idea what they are and the patch of Common Earthstars I found last week had increased to over 30 specimens. Any help with ID fungi in my attached photos would be much appreciated. I think the red one is a type of slime mould.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 12th of December 2020 09:19:38 PM