Cramp Balls

I got Cramp Balls today at Swithland Wood. And a Stinkhorn, and Hairy Curtain Crust. In case anyone is wondering, you haven't just inadvertently stumbled on a Finbarr Saunders storyline - these are all vernacular names for some of the fungi I found this afternoon.

Like any other branch of natural history recording, there is a skill to finding fungi. However as I do not possess this skill I once again resorted to shambling about in hope rather than with knowledgeable purpose. It was a dull day in any case, and within the damp woodland the light was pretty poor. It was the sort of light where using flash at a distance just results in under-exposed shots, so it was a case of either very long shutter speeds or flash just for real macro stuff. Whilst this next shot is not particularly exciting, I'm very pleased with it given that the fungi is black, and it was on a dark wet log in the shade in what was already dull lighting. Using a tripod and the camera on self-timer mode, this shot it the result of an 8sec exposure at ISO80 f8.0. I could easily have gone for higher ISO but the shot would have been grainy as hell.

Cramp Ball, or King Alfred's Cake (Daldinia concentric)

Here's a selection of other bits that I found ..

Common Stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus)

Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Common Bonnet (Mycena galericulata)

Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum)

Yellowing Curtain Crust (Stereum subtomentosum)

Silverleaf (Chondrostereum purpureum)

Yellow Stagshorn (Calocera viscosa)

Another crusty type thing I can't identify

Egretta garzetta - Patch Tick!

Dropped into Jubilee Park again on the way home this afternoon for another speculative look around with low expectations. Hadn't been there long when I was suddenly aware of a small white heron flying past from behind me - Little Egret on the patch - get in! By the time I'd got the camera up and ready it was at record-shot-only distance, but still ..


For a further example of how to badly photograph white herons in flight see here.

This also gave me another rare opportunity to badly photograph a heron shitting on the patch (see here for previous example) ..


What is it about herons - are they incontinent?

Yet more Goosanders - a drake + redhead flew off south from the pool, and a few minutes later 3 drakes + 1 redhead dropped in for 5 minutes before heading off north.



Nothing else exciting though. I did notice that after the high flood waters the River Soar has deposited rubbish all along the tide-line.


Plastic ducks?

Yesterday late afternoon I dropped into Narborough Bog. This is the only formal nature reserve within my extended patch boundary and is a SSSI. I really like this reserve - it has superb floral diversity (not that I can identify anything), the only substantial peat deposit in Leicestershire, a reedbed, damp mixed woodland and a couple of herb-rich meadows. It also has the River Soar running along one boundary. I moth-trap there and the moth diversity is damned good. Plenty of amphibians, dragonflies and other invertebrates as well. It really should be a great place for birds. But it isn't.

Whilst the habitat is great, it is bisected by a train line, within earshot and sight of the M1, has a football pitch and allotments on one side and it used daily by local dog walkers (although the ubiquitous dog-shit-bag decorations are mercifully absent). Maybe there is just too much disturbance? The damp woodland should be ideal for Woodcock, but I have never had them roding there when mothing. Both Marsh and Willow Tit should be present - but I've seen neither there so far. Plenty of Great-spotted - but where is the Lesser? I need to visit this area more often and give it a chance.

In the meantime, plenty of Snowdrops on show, the drying reed stems are taller than me, and a fair few fungi to look at - no idea what they are though thanks to Dean for ID.








Jews Ear


Cramp Ball