Chris Lansdell's Birding & Nature Diary: October 2024

Racecourse Plantation, Norwich, 27 October 2024

After visiting my Mum on Sunday Belinda and I needed a walk. Racecourse Plantation is nearby and a site I’ve never looked for fungi at so it seemed a good idea.

And a very good idea it turned out to be. As well as a nice varied walk in the sun I found no less than 3 new fungi species I’d never seen before. Top of the list was a very much wanted Verdigris Roundhead positively glowing in the sunshine amongst the leaf litter. Next up was a parasol growing under pines that looked a bit different. And different it was because it turned out to be a Conifer Parasol. I then found a small number of chestnut brown russulas that looked very similar to the Russula subrufens at Outney. This is a very difficult family to get to grips with so I grabbed a specimen and dropped it off on Jeremy’s doorstep on the way home. He rose to the challenge and it was confirmed as Coral Brittlegill, my 3rd fungi ‘tick’ of the day!

Other notables found included Blue Roundhead and the slime mould Physarum album.

Verdigris Roundhead

Blue Roundhead

Coral Brittlegill

Conifer Parasol

Physarum album

Outney Common, 26 October 2024

After having some success with fungi last year on Outney Common near Bungay a return visit was in order. With Belinda otherwise engaged Saturday was the ideal opportunity.

Heading straight to where I found them last year I was delighted to find that the Russula subrufens are up again this year and in good numbers. Indeed I even found a couple on the opposite side of the common too. Other goodies included Scurfy Deceiver, hundreds of Oakbug Milkcap, Blackening Brittlegill, Fragile Brittlegill, Honey Fungus, Brown Rollrim, White Fibrecap, Alder Bracket and Clouded Funnel. Into the bargain I also found a new harvestman Leiobunum Blackwalli.

Earlier that morning I also made 2 very pleasing finds on the front lawn at home - Peppery Roundhead and Turf Bell.

Russula subrufens

Scurfy Deceiver

Oakbug Milkcap

Fragile Brittlegill

Leiobunum blackwalli

Peppery Roundhead

Turf Bell

More fungi - sorry!

Well, it is that time of year!

This post is a bit of a round up of sightings over the last few days from a variety of locations.

On Wednesday 16th I was 'up city' doing various chores so took the oppotunity of a visit to the UEA campus where Jeremy had found a troop of probable Gymnopus obscuroides growing on woodchip near the Sportspark. Parking there is a nightmare so I slung my van in close by (and very illegally!) for a quick smash and grab raid.

Then on Friday 18th before work I drove over to Wymondham Cemetery to see a very special fungus that is growing in a cluster around a single gravestone. This was the scarce and stunning Golden Bootleg, one I have wanted to see for some while. Very kindly the groundmen have strimmed around them unlike what usually happens in Earlham Cemetery. My grateful thanks once again to Jeremy and also to the late Eugene Hindley who hosts them at his final resting place!

On the way back from Wymondham I stopped for a quick 30 minute visit to Ashwellthorpe Wood. Concentrating on the area of Hornbeams along the southern side of the wood I found some nice bits and pieces. The highlights being The Miller and probable Cortinarius olidus, a striking yellow fungus which, if confirmed will be a first for Norfolk.

In the evening I was also pleased to see that White Dapperling has popped up on our front lawn at home for the second year in a row.

Yesterday, the 19th, while shopping I found Redled Roundhead and Scurfy Twiglet on woodchip in the carpark at Aldi on Hall Road in Norwich. Fungi are literally everywhere!

Golden Bootleg

probable Gymnopus obscuroides

probable Cortinarius olidus

The Miller

White Dapperling

A rare find confirmed

Back at the beginning of the month I visited Tyrrel's Wood, my local ancient wood. It's a spot I often visit looking for fungi, especially at this time of year.

During this visit I found an unfamiliar pale orange fungus growing on a fallen birch log close to the eastern edge of the wood. I photographed it and after much reading tentatively identified it as Orange Mock Oyster, Phyllotopsis nidulans. This species had ony been recorded twice before in the county so I returned to the wood to retrieve a specimen as Jeremy had kindly offered to do some microscopy on it. By the time he got it (despite me keeping it in the fridge!) it was rather shrivelled but he did manage to tease some spores out of it. And those spores confirmed my identification. The specimen is now being dried for possible DNA analysis.

One of the great things about mycology is that there are new discoveries to be made all the time and I was very happy to find this one - the first county record for 33 years!

Orange Mock Oyster

Comet A3 in the western sky, 16 October 2024

With a clear night at last I wandered down the road from home and into the quiet Guildhall Lane which has a good uninterrupted view west.

It took a little while of scanning the ever-darkening sky before I picked up the comet known as Comet A3 just left of due west. With only my phone with me I managed to snap a couple of pictures. Try to see it this week if you can because it won't be round again for another 80,000 years!

Cawston and Marsham Heaths, 13 October 2024

After visit Mum we took advantage of being around the north side of Norwich and opted for a walk around Cawston and Marsham Heaths.

It was pleasing to see that recent rain has meant we finally have some good numbers of fungi popping up. Walking through the horse fields on the south side of Cawston Heath initially I found Nail Fungus, Creamy Pinkgill, Silky Pinkgill, Giant Puffball, Spotted Toughshank, Common Parasols and some interesting pale russulas that I'm still looking into.

Around the fringes of the heath along the edge of the pines False Chanterelles were numerous with Petticoat Brittlestem, Deceiver, Purplepore Bracket and Amythyst Deceiver also seen.

Then, on a circuit of Marsham Heath (while trying not to stand on the plethora of Dor Beetles on the paths!) I found a single Cep which was duly collected for tea! Some more dark purple russulas were by a pond which I am looking into but near the end of the walk I found a good concentration of goodies including Saffron Milkcap, Frosty Webcap, Pestle Puffball, Ugly Milkcap, Geranium Brittlegill, Hoof Fungus, Blusher and best of all a pristine Jewelled Amaninta.

Saffron Milkcap

Geranium Brittlegill

Jewelled Amanita

False Chanterelles

Russula sp

Frosty Webcap

Blusher

Creamy Pinkgill

Petticoat Brittlestem

Dor Beetle

Cep

Sweetbriar Marshes with the NFSG, 12 October 2024

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 Marshes, 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.