26th September 2015
Following my mid-week excursion to Earlham Cemetery, I returned on Saturday for a better look around. I met Ian Senior at the cemetery gates, which meant that I got the Smiths song of that name stuck in my head whilst I was waiting. Ian lives nearby, and was able to show me some interesting species that have recently emerged, including the one I was looking for on Wednesday, Fluted Bird's Nest.
The first place we went to was the area of unimproved grassland that holds a range of Waxcaps, Corals and Spindles. Most of the species were ones that I saw here last year, such as Meadow Waxcap, Parrot Waxcap, Slimy Waxcap, Blackening Waxcap and Meadow Coral (you can use the blog entry dates menu on the right of the blog to see last years entries if you didn't see them at the time). Amongst these there was a new Waxcap for me, Goblet Waxcap (Hygrocybe cantharellus), a small orangey-red species found yesterday by Ian. Another new species was Earthy Powdercap (Cystoderma amianthinum).
Goblet Waxcaps
Earthy Powdercap
Heading to a disturbed area of ground we saw a range of plants, including an interesting grass called Orange Foxtail. I remarked that it was unusual to see Himalayan Balsam in this habitat and then we found another indicator that the ground was damp in the form of Marsh Cudweed.
Orange Foxtail
Marsh Cudweed
Heading across the road to the western part of the cemetery we went straight to the Fluted Bird's Nests (Cyathus striolatus). It turns out that I was in the right general area, but hadn't gone far enough down the road to see them. Further along we located some rather nice Bloody Brittlegills (Russula sanguinarius) growing in grassland near pine.
Fluted Bird's Nest
Bloody Brittlegill
Walking back to the car we still had time to find one more new species, Frosty Webcap (Cortinarius hemitrichus). My thanks to Ian, without whose local knowledge and regular searching I wouldn't have seen many of these fungi.
Frosty Webcap
James,
ReplyDeleteHere in France Orange Foxtail is a pernicious weed of cultivation!
We have it in our potager...
but it pulls up easily enough and the chickens go a bundle on an immature seed head!!
Unlike Cocksfoot which takes half a bed with it and the boids hate!!!!!!
Hate with a vengance, too...
the cockerel took a kick at me last time there was some in the proffered bundle of fresh pullings!
The Fluted Bird's Nest is wonderful...
the only one I've ever seen was on Mousehold...
in fact...
that is the only Bird's-nest I have ever seen!!
They really are one of the weirdest fungi around...
save perhaps the Latticed Stinkhorn [Clathrus ruber]
And I have never seen Dog Stinkhorns, either...
obviously my time in Norwich was spent in the wrong places...
mainly pubs...
Golden Star, The Plasterers, The Murderers, Reindeer [in the days of Wolfe],T'Bell, White Lion, Wig & Pen, Fat Cat, Ironmongers, The Ribs...
to name too many!
Actually, I got my best pix of a Kingfisher from the downstairs at The Ribs...
it was using the bow rail of a boat moored outside to fish from...
birds and beer at the same time...
can't be beat!!
Keep posting!
Tim
Hi Tim.
ReplyDeleteYes I think Orange Foxtail is spreading in arable fields throughout Norfolk, but is still unusual in the city. Also my very limited knowledge of grasses means anything like this is likely to be new for me.
Years ago I found a large group of Common Bird's Nest on bark chippings on Brunswick Road (near the old N&N hospital), but I've not seen them anywhere else. I'd like to see the Clathrus fungi. So far there haven't been any in East Anglia that I'm aware of, but C. archeri and C. ruber occur along the south coast.
Yes we are lucky to have some excellent pubs. The Red Lion at Bishopgate offers a reasonable chance of Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Peregrine from the beer garden. Not managed to photograph Kingfisher from a pub yet though.
Regards,
James