It was quiet in the office on Friday, so took a half days leave and spent a few hours in the common ground on Craig Berthlwyd just above where I live. On the avian front, Backcaps and Willow Warblers were fresh in. Brimstone, Peacock and at least 6 Small tortoiseshell provided the lep' interest, with Buff-tailed and Early Bumblebees, Tawny and (I think) Bilberry (A. lapponica) Mining Bees for the Bees. Correction - I've been advised that the mining bee below is probably Grey-patched Mining Bee (A. nitida)
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After getting my eye in on Holly Speckle fungus, on Glam Fungus Group walk, I've found they are quite easy to find under most large Holly trees. This fungus shows as a number of small dark spots on the underside of fallen leaves. There is another fungus that produces spores on both sides - Phacidium multivalve - which up to now has evaded me. However on Friday I think I found a single Holly tree under which most of the fallen leaves were marked with larger irregular spotting on both sides. A good candidate for P multivalve?
When looking for Holly Speckle, I turned over 1 leaf to find a small Weevil sitting on the tip. Mark, Geri, anybody, any idea? Note the small spots of Holly Speckle
And the mammals in the title? None were seen, but signs were there for at least 6 species. Rabbit diggings, Hazelnuts opened by Grey Squirrel and Wood Mouse, Bank Vole runs/burrows, Hedgehog droppings and the remains of a Fox kill - a few feathers, fairly fresh looking. I think they are from a Woodcock.
After getting my eye in on Holly Speckle fungus, on Glam Fungus Group walk, I've found they are quite easy to find under most large Holly trees. This fungus shows as a number of small dark spots on the underside of fallen leaves. There is another fungus that produces spores on both sides - Phacidium multivalve - which up to now has evaded me. However on Friday I think I found a single Holly tree under which most of the fallen leaves were marked with larger irregular spotting on both sides. A good candidate for P multivalve?
When looking for Holly Speckle, I turned over 1 leaf to find a small Weevil sitting on the tip. Mark, Geri, anybody, any idea? Note the small spots of Holly Speckle
And the mammals in the title? None were seen, but signs were there for at least 6 species. Rabbit diggings, Hazelnuts opened by Grey Squirrel and Wood Mouse, Bank Vole runs/burrows, Hedgehog droppings and the remains of a Fox kill - a few feathers, fairly fresh looking. I think they are from a Woodcock.
If there is anything I have learned from talking to the beetle experts it is, with a few exceptions, the folly of trying to identify a species from photographs. Sometimes, with the weevils, a strong association with its food plant can help, such as the small weevil found on gorse.
ReplyDeletea bit like fungi then. Cheers Mark, Did you get any Ouzels?
ReplyDeleteYes I did, thanks Martin. I had a pair house hunting.
ReplyDelete