Saturday morning saw a few of us meeting on the carpark at Sloughbottom Park in Norwich for the latest Norfolk Fungus Study Group foray - to Sweetbriar Maeshes, newly aquired by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
While still by the pavillion Jeremy produced a couple of nice specimens he'd collected at the UEA. A colourful young Larch Bolete and a rather less colourful but interesting Sticky Bolete. Both were new to me. A Giant Polypore was also at the base of a tree in the park.
Moving onto the marsh proper the species count began to rise. The highlights from a very enjoyable few hours were Hairy Oysterling, Hawthorn Twiglet, Lemonbalm Webcap, Mealy Domecap, Red-edge Brittlestem, Rootlet Brittlestem, Black Bulgar, Small Stagshorn, Yellow Fieldcap, Bleeding Bonnet, Milking Bonnet, the fantastically named Cowpat Gem, Bracken Club, Bracken Map, Redleg Toughshank, Common Mazegill, Brown Birch Bolete, Hen of the Woods, Green Elfcup and a few others that have been taken home for study and identification. Nearing the ring road end of the eastern section a large fallen tree had Flame Shield, Yellow Shield and Velvet Shield within a few feet of each other!
Despite the overcast and cool conditions we had a few good inverts too. I had Giant Willow Aphids, Silk Button Gall and and out of place Rosemary Beetle before Vanna got her net out and swept some dry grassland just into the western section on the other side of the ring road for Small Orbweaver, Cricket-bat Orbweaver, Two-clawed Hunting Spider the spider Microlynyphia pusilla and a new pseudo-scorpion Neobisium carcinoides.
