BRECKLAND: Thetford rare plant, more fungi, no ghost rabbit.

Late October 2020

Earlier in the autumn news was released that a conservation group in Thetford had discovered the very rare plant Creeping Marshwort, previously only thought to persist in Oxfordshire (see the EDP article here: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/exceptionally-rare-plant-creeping-marshwort-found-in-thetford-1593264). I hadn't had time to go and see it, but several friends had and had passed on directions, and as we had decided to go to the Brecks for a walk I thought we could swing by Nun's Bridges on the off-chance it was still in flower. Fortunately the area it was growing in was right near the car park, and I immediately found some, hurrah! A very understated plant. There was also a hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose nearby for good measure.

 

We then headed a bit further down the road to Thetford Warren, which you probably know because in a Monty Pythonesque twist it is haunted by a ghostly white rabbit. We didn't see it. There is actually a nice bit of heathland here, albeit one that is getting scubbed over with young Pine trees that could probably do with removing, but unfortunately we couldn't linger long there because it was covered with industrial quantities of dog mess. I checked a few Viper's Bugloss plants on my way through, hoping to find the case-bearing moth associated with it, but instead found the inconspicuous ladybird Rhyzobius chrysomeloides.

 

Behind the heath and the lodge is a lovely Beech wood, and thankfully most of the dogs bowels must have been emptied by the time they reached it. We spent quite a bit of time trying to catch falling leaves, which Rose found hilarious, but also saw some nice fungi, including several stumps covered in Stump Puffballs. There didn't seem to be a great variety of species, but what was there occurred in good numbers.

Hare's Ear, Beechwood Sickener and Stump Puffballs

Russula sp.

NORFOLK(ISH) - Heathland lichens part 1

8th November 2015

On Sunday I attended a heathland lichen workshop organised by the Breaking New Ground project and NBIS. We spent the morning at Thetford Warren, now firmly in Norfolk, but part of the Watsonian Vice County of West Suffolk. The main group of lichens that we were looking at were Cladonias. These are mostly green or greenish grey, and are the ones sometimes colloquially referred to as 'Pixie Cups'.

In a couple of hours we saw seven different Cladonia lichens, taking time to examine each for critical features and in some cases to compare against similar species. This was particularly useful, and I'll definitely be trying to identify some for myself based on what we were shown. Unsurprisingly six of the seven were new species for me.

 Cladonia ciliata

 Cladonia portentosa

Cladonia chlorophaea

Near the car park lots of fungi had been left, presumably remnants of nearby forays. Whilst looking for lichens we did see quite a bit more. In particular Moor Clubs were common and a new species for me. Some Common Bird's-nests meant that I have seen all three of the regularly found bird's-nest fungi in the past month. What might have been the most interesting fungus was some tiny yellow stalked blobs growing on moss, which several knowledgeable mycologists agree "looks interesting", but as yet nobody can name it.

 Moor Clubs

 Common Bird's-nest fungi

As well as the lichens and fungi there were still some plants in flower, including the tiny Bird's-foot, which I have only seen on one occasion prior to this. After a productive morning session, we then stopped for lunch before moving on to Weeting Heath for the afternoon.

Bird's-foot