Next up, my regular checking of the Mallard flock on the pub pond paid off as four Gadwall had appeared today. Interestingly, four turned up there about the same point last year - 2 males and 2 females - tempting to think they are the same individuals. A good one though and not one I felt confident in getting.
In the afternoon, another walk produced a few mosses, one of which I was happy to identify as Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata - very common apparently but new for me. However, I failed on the moss that was right next to it, on the fence of the local muckheap. I did soon find a Brown Hare squatting low in a furrow in a field, and then also took some photos of a black fungus on an oak snag which might be Exidia plana.
Finally, down in the village a long brick wall produced Wall-rue - nice as this isn't a square where it was mapped in the latest Flora of Norfolk. Also more mosses and lichens which I admired, photograped, and left for another day.
So five new definites makes it 137.
P.S. Exciting news though of a bracket fungus in our garden that has been puzzling me. In discussion with Tony Leech it may be Trametes pubescens which has only two previous Norfolk records. A sample will be going off for confirmation tomorrow!
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A lichen (I presume) in our garden - also some mildewy stuff...
Rather a smart lichen on a brick wall in the village
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I'm going to stick my neck out and say Parmelia sp., but don't know how to take further yet
Grey-cushioned Grimmia - lifer!
Perhaps Exidia plana on oak snag.
Wall-rue - first record in the area
Unknown moss on fence next to muckheap. Any suggestions would be appreciated
More lichens. I need to buy a book, and quick....
Fingers crossed for your bracket. You could have Peniophora quercina (a purplish crust on oak) on the branch with the Exidia on as well if you don't have that down.
ReplyDeleteJames
Aha - I had wondered what the pinky-purply crud was. Definitely that?
ReplyDeleteFamous last words, but yeah I can't think of anything else it could be. As for your Exidia, it's either E. plana (=E. nigricans now?) or E. glandulosa. They have been separate, lumped, then split and I can't remember which is which now - one of them is meant to grow in discrete lumps and one joins together I think.
ReplyDeleteJames
James - you'll be pleased to hear Tony Leech agrees with you. As for the Exidia, I think I may need to get a ladder and grab a bit. That'll get the neighbours talking (even more...)
ReplyDeleteJames - why don't you join in? You don't need to have your home square if that's a bit urban. See how many species Whitlingham can rustle up? If you're interested, I can send you a blog-posting invitation?
Ah go on then ;-) I think my home 1km square is too urban, but I'll pick one of the ones that partly covers Whitlingham. If you speak to Tony again anytime soon could you ask him if he is happy with the Conifer Mazegill I had from Whitlingham? I offered to go back and get a sample (easier said than done now, it would have been completely snow covered since) if he needed one.
ReplyDeleteJames