A morning pop onto Newchurch Common, sunny and warm in places.
An amazing record of 2 Common Lizards basking on Shemmy Moss, my first March record on my patch. Also seen was a Great Crested Newt, on the edge of Shemmy Moss, and in the same area a new and huge patch of Common Frog Spawn, much of which had hatched into tadpoles.
A Polydesmus angustus Millipede was under a log near the Whitegate Way on the edge of Shemmy Moss.
A Garden Snail was logged for the first time this year.
St George's Mushooms were seen at a traditional site, but again much earlier this year. A new patch fungus Purplepore Bracket (Trichaptum abietinum) was on a fallen conifer in Gull Pool Wood. Wolf's Milk Slime Mould was on a fallen silver birch by Small Pool on the Whitegate Way.
Lots of Yellow Archangel is in flower in a damp area opposite Gull Pool Bench by the Whitegate Way.
An afternoon visit to Newchurch Common to catch the last of the sun and hopefully the highest air temperature!
A single Peacock butterfly was seen again, in the meadow by Big Pool Island Cut.
My first of a couple of bee species were seen, first 2 Queen Red-tailed Bumblebees and then a Queen Common Carder Bumblebee. There were at least 8 Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees too.
A minimum count of 200 Tapered Droneflies was estimated. The sawfly Aglaostigma aucupariae was see at the NE corner of Big Pool.
A good afternoon visit to Newchurch Common, warm and sunny.
There were still over 20 Toads in Big Pool at Island Cut with now even more Toadspawn (picture attached is all underwater and looking through the lakes surface!).
I found another 2 Peacock butterflies and this time managed to photograph one, a really tatty individual too. A new butterfly was a single Comma near Big Pool Island Cut, where the Peacocks were too.
My first queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee was in the meadow near Big Pool Island Cut as was a Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax), my first after three-figure numbers of Tapered Droneflies, which were still in similar numbers today. Incidentally queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee is the only reliable caste that can be separated from White-tailed Bumblebee unless very fine detail is examined, drones and workers are virtually indistinguishable.
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 19th of March 2024 09:20:28 PM
All day on Newchurch Common today, am and pm with a break for lunch. Sunny most of the time and warm. Clouded over late afternoon.
A couple of Rabbits were seen and I don't know if I've officially recorded them this year!!
In Big Pool Island Cut a veritable orgy of at least 30 Toads were in the water, and many in amplexus. As a result there were numerous jewelled strings of Toadspawn in the underwater vegetation, so beautiful.
At last I had my first patch butterfly, a Peacock, which I flushed near Beach Peg and it flew off so no picture for me!
Also my first bumblebee which fittingly was Early Bumblebee, visiting gorse flowers north of Big Pool. Again lots, probably upwards of 25 Honeybees. Even more hoverflies, with a rough guesstimate of 120 Tapered Droneflies seen. A Yellow Dungfly was also seen.
A tiny patch of 3 Deceiver mushrooms (Laccaria laccata) were found near Big Pool.
An afternoon walk on my Newchurch Common Patch produced my first Frogspawn of the year, whist not far away from that was my first Common Frog too!! A double whammy so to speak! Still overcast so no flying inverts.
The sunshine had to eventually produce my first local patch invertebrates and so it was today at Newchurch Common.
Up to 4 Honey Bees were on the gorse flowers in the meadows north of Big Pool. Just to the east of Big Pool a Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) was seen sunning itself on brambles. On Gorse north of Big Pool and on Shemmy Moss the very first invert species of the year were 2 x 7-Spot Ladybirds.
A quick check of a lone Common Rustgill fungus that I first discovered as a weeny one revealed it to be in its last throes with lots of slug damage. In fact the culprits were still on it feeding, 2 young Leopard Slugs, a new species for patch for 2024!
At Newchurch Common this morning I recorded my first Lesser Celandine in flower, spring is here
On the extreme western patch boundary I discovered a carpet of over 150 Scarlet Elf Cups, the woodland floor was bejewelled with their red fruiting bodies.
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Saturday 17th of February 2024 04:50:08 PM
A morning at Newchurch Common with fungi the main focus.
But first, a muddy path that was full of human boot prints and dog paw prints had my attention drawn immediately to a faint print with forward facing claws that I suspected to be Badger. On examination of my photo at home blown up on the pc my suspicions were confirmed, it certainly was a Badger print.
A new fungus for patch was Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta). My previous re-ID was confirmed as the young Common Rustgill has now matured and confirmed it to be that species with the diagnostic 'rusty gills'!! A cracking Turkey Tail fungus was also photographed and more new Scarlet Elfcups were found.
Small race (resembling 'wild') Daffodils are in flower east of Small Pool and several clumps of Snowdrops were found in flower too.
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 15th of February 2024 10:33:59 PM
Norton Marsh viewed from Owens Wood on the big tide submerging the Marsh yesterday. Four moles, one Bank Vole and on Brown Rat escaping the floods, earlier two Seals (sp unidentified) were seen going with the tide up the Mersey.
A trio of fungi were photographed, a new one for patch was Silverleaf Fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum), and a new one for 2024 was Velvet Shank, a very young one on a dead gorse branch. There were lots of Witch's Butter Fungi (Tremella mesenterica) on the gorse too.
Grey Squirrels were seen scaling trees with mouthfuls of dead leaves, drey building in preparation for the upcoming breeding season!
A nip on this am to Newchurch Common to see a patch lifer fungus found by fellow patcher Dave yesterday.
Saw the cluster of Jelly Ear fungus by the main track near Small Pool above the largest patch of Scarlet Elf Cups so far this winter. Hairy Curtain Crust also photographed.
On my walk at Newchurch Common today I recorded Conifer Tuft fungus (Hypholoma capnoides) on a fallen conifer and a nice patch of Snowdrops on Shemmy Moss, my first flowers of the year!
Strike out Conifer Tuft and replace with Common Rustgill (Gymnopilus sapineus)!!
On my walk at Newchurch Common today I recorded Conifer Tuft fungus (Hypholoma capnoides) on a fallen conifer and a nice patch of Snowdrops on Shemmy Moss, my first flowers of the year!
Saturday morning at Newchurch Common, and just 2two fungi of note, Root Rot (Heterobasidion annosum) and one Scarlet Elf Cup (Sarcoscypha austriaca), both in the woods near Big Pool Island Cut.
An afternoon walk at Newchurch Common produced an excellent fungus find in the shape of a small group of tiny Scarlet Elfcups (to be accurate they should be termed Scarlet/Ruby Elfcups as the two species can only be separated by microscopic examination, but most observers lump them into 'Scarlet Elfcup') by Small Pool, my first on patch for several years. Also in the woods nearby were several groups of Common Puffballs, all having sent out their spores long ago. Finally, and again in the same wood, the Birch Woodwart fungus was found, predictably on fallen birch!
Dog Fox wandering about on the frozen Pumphouse Pool at Moore NR this morning - looked almost Wolverine in monochrome colours produced by the heavy fog mist.
In Gull Pool Wood today on pine needle litter a lone Common Rustgill fungus was found. A Stoat was seen again where I had the two on Dec 26th but unfortunately not by me. It is good to know that this is obviously a territory and future sightings are probable.
The mushroom found on Jan 12th has subsequently been re-identified as Coral Brittlegill (Russula velenovskyi) of a more atypical colour form!
In Gull Pool Wood today on pine needle litter a lone Common Rustgill fungus was found. A Stoat was seen again where I had the two on Dec 26th but unfortunately not by me. It is good to know that this is obviously a territory and future sightings are probable.
I started the New Year in the sunshine on my Newchurch Common Local Patch and non-bird sightings were much the same as those the end of December.
Lost of Grey Squirrels were seen, but no other mammals.
Fungi included White Saddle and Oyster Mushroom in Gull Pool Wood. Also seen were Candlesnuff Fungus, Common Earthball, Birch Polypore, Blushing Bracket, and Hairy Curtain Crust. One nice new find was the tiny delicate Ivory Bonnet near West Bay, Big Pool.
In a long morning walk at Newchurch Common the undoubted highlight was a sighting of 2 Stoats, a large adult first ran across the main track just 30m inside the barriers. This was followed by a smaller, young Stoat that showed fantastically well in the same area. I had a spectacular growth of Oyster Mushrooms in one of the woodlands, my second record of the species ever and by far the biggest 'clump'!
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 26th of December 2023 04:50:38 PM
Today at Newchurch Common was proof that it's never too late in the year to add a new species. I found my first White Saddle Fungus for 4 years in the woods south of Big Pool.
Early November unsurprisingly dominated by fungi at Newchurch Common.
A new waxcap species for 2023 was found at 'Waxcap Corner', in the shape of a small number of Parrot Waxcaps. Also here were still Blackening Waxcaps, Butter Waxcaps and an increase in Snowy Waxcaps (waxcap montage picture attached). After never having seen a waxcap species ever 3 years ago now to have 4 species on my local patch is brilliant. Other nice fungi photographed this week were Variable Oysterling, Clouded Funnel, Wrinkled Club and Deceiver, all in the Big Pool area.
For those interested in other wildlife I have just posted a Blog on the Focalpoint website about my orthopteran summer! That is the Crickets and Grasshoppers of Newchurch Common (with one from my garden sneaked in due to its rarity value!), please take a look if you fancy a read with piccies! It is at:
A morning walk on a cold and damp Newchurch Common.
A plant was IDed as well as many fungi, the plant in question being Gypsywort which has many medicinal properties but could be dangerous to use too!
All of our walk was around Big Pool and some cracking species were found. Three species of waxcap were seen with the first two being new this year, namely Snowy Waxcap and Butter Waxcap, with Blackening Waxcap still being seen. Also new for the year were Clouded Funnel (Clitocybe nebularis), Blushing Wood Mushroom (Agaricus silvaticus), Wrinkled Club (Clavulina rugosa), Inocybe splendens, Delicatula integrella, Brown Roll Rim (Paxillus involutus), Cortinarius umbrinolens, Ivory Bonnet (Mycena flavoalba), White Brain Fungus (Exidia thuretiana), and Turf Bell (Galerina graminea). A couple of fungi could only be IDed down to Entoloma sp.
Ones seen before but photographed were Angel's Bonnet, Scurfy Twiglet, Candlesnuff Fungus, Earthy Powdercap, Tawny Funnel, and White Domecap.
An afternoon walk on a damp Newchurch Common after morning rain, brightening to hazy sunshine.
A very late Sericomyia silentis hoverfly was in Gull Pool Wood. On Shemmy Moss a nice Metellina mengei Long-jawed Orb-weaver Spider was found.
Other than that the main focus were fungi. In Gull Pool Wood a nice group of Poisonpie mushrooms (Hebeloma crustuliniforme) were found as well as Artist's Bracket Fungus (Ganoderma lipsiense), Spotted Toughshank (Rhodocollybia maculata), Jelly Rot Fungus (Phlebia tremellosa), Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare), Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon), Shaggy Scalycap (Pholiota squarrosa), and Common Bonnet (Mycena galericulata). A new fungus for patch, Purple Swamp Brittlegill (Russula nitida), was in woodland by Big Pool with Green Brittlegill (Russula aeruginea). Angel's Bonnet (Mycena acangeliana)was found near Shemmy Moss.
Shaggy Scalycap fungi were a new find, near Big Pool. Again lots of Fly Agarics were seen including lots of new ones. Wood Pinkgill fungi were near Big Pool too. Inocybe geophylla and Blushing Brackets were seen again.
Again just fungi to report. New ones were a patch of Deceivers in woodland near Big Pool as well as only my second find of Peeling Oysterling (Crepidotus mollis) on dead branches here too. Also in the same damp woods were lots of big Fly Agarics and several Scurfy Twiglets.
A morning walk on patch at Newchurch Common only produced 1 new fungus species, Scurfy Twiglet, by Big Pool. The ivy on Novia Scotia Lane was alive with wasps and hoverflies.
Nearby at Foxwist Green in the horse paddocks where my wife's horse is were over 100 Butter Waxcap fungi, a superb display. A Red Admiral was also here.
Another morning walk on Newchurch Common. Nearly all sightings were fungi, and all sightings were from the Big Pool area.
New ones seen were Parasol, Glistening Inkcap, Dwarf Bell, Lilac Bonnet, Angel's Bonnet, Earthy Powdercap, White Domecap, White Fibrecap, Wood Pinkgill, Oyster Mushroom, Coral Brittlegill, Leopard Earthball, Mycena aetites, Tawny Funnel, and Skullcap Dapperling. Previously seen species that were re-recorded were Blackening Waxcap, Fly Agaric and Common Earthball.
New plants recorded were Long-headed Poppy and Common Field-speedwell.
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 12th of October 2023 10:29:05 PM
Butterflies seen were 6 Commas and 2 Red Admirals.
Odonata sightings were 6 Black Darters including 2 pairs ovipositing and 4 Common Darters including 1 pair ovipositing.
At least 10 Hornets were seen across the whole site. A f.Melanostoma scalare hoverfly was photographed. The ichneumon Itoplectis maculator was seen.
The spiders Metellina segmentata, Nursery Web Spider, Garden Cross Orbweaver and Four-spotted Orbweaver were all seen.
Fungi seen included a Fly Agaric, Common Bonnets, Common Stump Brittlegills, a new flush of Blackening Waxcaps, Petticoat Mottlegills, Scurfy Deceivers, Earthfans, Common Earthballs, Turkeytails, Petticoat Mottlegill, Hairy Curtain Crust and Tawny Grisettes. The slime mould Red Rasperry Slime Mould was seen in Gull Pool Wood.
Just 2 butterfly species, a Comma and 2 Red Admirals.
A well-worn male Common Darter was by Big Pool.
At least 3 Common Nettle-tap Moths were seen.
Whilst checking ivy on Novia Scotia Lane for Ivy Bee (still not seen on patch) I came across at least 5 Pine Ladybirds, 3 x 7-Spot Ladybirds and a Harlequin Ladybird. A Hornet was here too.
Looking for fungi, by Big Pool I found 2 Blackening Waxcaps, but too late as both had gone over! There were still 6 Collared Earthstars by the main entrance track. The Miller was also found, in the small woods bordering Beach Peg on Big Pool.
Back on Newchurch Common, mainly over on the mosslands and the walk over and back! Sunny intervals.
A Common Lizard was basking in the sunshine on Shemmy Moss. Great Crested Newts, Smooth Newts and a Common Toad were all seen too.
Only 4 butterfly species were seen; Comma, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Large White.
The best dragonfly was an old Black Darter on Shemmy Moss, whilst nearby a Southern Hawker and a couple of Common Darters were seen.
It was a good spider day with lots of Four-spotted Orb-weavers and Garden Cross Orb-weavers seen. There were also loads of Hammock Web Spiders (Linyphia triangularis).
The hoverfly Sericomyia silentiswas photographed.
Another huge growth of Tawny Grisette fungi has happened along with Scurfy Deceivers and hundreds of Common Earthballs. A few old Blushers were also found as well as a nice Blackfoot Polypore and an Earth Fan (Thelephora terrestris). The very alien looking slime mould Stemonitis fusca was new for me and for patch.
A plant I saw first for this year on holiday was seen today on patch for the first time this year too, Black Nightshade, near Small Pool.
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 18th of September 2023 10:11:01 AM
My first day back on Newchurch Common for a long time, sunny and warm. All sightings in the Big Pool area.
Just 5 butterfly species, namely Speckled Wood, Small White, Peacock, Red Admiral and a good count of 10 Commas together in the Fishermen's Spit car park, as well as a few elsewhere.
A Common Darter and a Common Blue Damselfly were the only odonata.
A male Vapourer and a Silver Y moth were near Daleford Farm.
Other insects seen incuded 2 Green Shieldbugs, over 20 Harlequin Ladybirds, 5 x 7-Spot Ladybirds and a Phaonia valida fly. A Metellina segmentata spider was photographed too.
Lots of Fox and Cubs were in flower near Daleford Farm.
On the entrance track 4 Collared Earthstars and a clump of Upright Coral Fungus were seen. Common Earthballs are still coming up aver a widespread area.