YARE VALLEY: Buckenham Carr March fungus foray

18th March 2023

My first Norfolk Fungus Study Group foray of the year saw the group return to Buckenham Carrs, a recent NNNS research project site. Whilst walking around the site multiple Chiffchaffs were singing, a Barn Owl flew silently over Buckenham Broad and in the distance Cranes were calling. I saw quite a few new species of fungi, but annoyingly I only got a poor record shot of the most pleasing one, Ruby Elf Cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea). In Norfolk we have two species of red elf cup, both almost identical to the eye but separable with care under the microscope. All of the ones I have checked, and most in the county in general are Sarcoscypha austriaca, so when we saw some I assumed that is what they would be. Fortunately Steve took one away to check and discovered that it was S. coccinea. Other highlights included Poplar Bell (Schizophyllum amplum), the second Norfolk record of Moss Ear (Chromocyphella muscicola), Thyronectria sinoptica on Ivy and Mollisia amenticola on Alder cones.

Ruby Elf Cup

Moss Ear

Mollisia amenticola

Poplar Bell

Thyronectria synoptica

WHITLINGHAM: March WeBS count

12th March 2023

The avian highlight of the March WeBS count was probably displaying Great Crested Grebes, although given the low numbers of Pochard in recent winters 8 of them wasn't to be snuffed at either. Whilst scanning trees on the meadows in the vain hope of seeing an owl perched up I noticed some Mistletoe in the Lime trees, the first time I'd seen it hear (although some is visible north of the river at Thorpe St Andrew). The Coltsfoot was in flower and I also noticed an as yet unidentified fungus on willow buds.

BROADLAND: Hickling pony checks

11th March 2023

I took my eldest daughter to Hickling for a Wildlife Watch event to see the ponies. As well as tracking down and visiting the Koniks, the group looked for tracks and signs, such as the poo of Red Deer and Chinese Water Deer. We heard and saw several Cranes, heard Bearded Tits and on the way back got excellent views of an Adder basking by the path.

NORWICH: Wensum Park clearance

Early March 2023

Random observations from the start of the month included a Muntjac Deer in Train Wood (I've seen them in Earlham and Rosary Cemeteries but not in Train Wood before) and a Mistle Thrush in Wensum Park one morning. The woodland area at Wensum Park underwent some quite drastic clearance, but all as part of a plan with the Norwich Fringe Project, which includes a new path and planting of a mixture of native trees. On the 3rd a brood of Egyptian Geese were watched walking in front of the diggers. fortunately they had fledged in time (this species nests in trees early in the year). Unfortunately a few days later they were down to two goslings, and the week after there were none.

NORWICH: Sweetbriar Marsh northern edge

25th February 2023

A rainy weekend, but to get out of the house for an hour or so I popped down to Sweetbriar Marshes. As the NWT land hasn't been opened to the public yet I made do with walking along the Marriott's Way edge, hearing a drone overhead presumably taking some pictures or doing some mapping. One patch of the bank up to the new land looked quite interesting, with a big patch of Bank Haircap moss and Bifid Crestwort. I also saw some Broom on sandy ground next to a path leading north away from the site. I had a look at it hoping for some psyllids, which I am now more actively searching for, not finding any but seeing the weevil Andrion regenstienense and the spider Mangora acalypha. I think the latter is a new 10km square record.

WHITLINGHAM: Lots of Little Egrets and a new psyllid

19th February 2023

Highlight of the February WeBS count was seeing 9 Little Egrets, a new record count for me. There were three roosting on the Little Broad plus one active bird, then another four roosting on the Great Broad with another one further along. A redhead Goosander was also of note, and a Coal Tit was singing alongside the path. I also got amazingly close up views of an Otter, having noticed it a few feet away before it saw me, and managed to find my first Spanioneura fonscolombii, a psyllid associated with Box.

SUFFOLK: Minsmere lichenicolous fungi

Mid-February 2023

We went on a family visit to Minsmere, the highlight of which was a new micro-moth for me - Heath Button (Acleris hyemana). Other than that I also noted a few lichenicolous fungi, Erythricium aurantiacum, Laetisaria lichenicola and Xanthoriicola physciae.