What I do on Mondays!

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What I do on Mondays!
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buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Tue May 13, 14 12:51 pm Post subject: What I do on Mondays!

In the summer, on most Monday evenings, a group of us (named The Eccentrics) go out for a walk in the countryside. In the winter a slightly smaller group, those of us who are retired (The WorkShy Eccentrics) go for a walk during the day.

We usually aim to find some particular species of interest, either because it is attractive to look at, or rare (sometimes, but not always, both at the same time).

Yesterday the target was the Violet Crown Cup, an uncommon fungus. Attached is a picture. You may think it is not especially violet - the usual excuse from our guide "We ought to have come last week, it would have been much better!"

Henry

VM

Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 1748
Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Tue May 13, 14 1:54 pm Post subject:
Sounds a bit like a fisherman talking of the one that got away. Quite a cool fungus anyway.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Tue May 13, 14 1:55 pm Post subject:
Visiting gardens is the same you should always have been there a week ago or be coming in a week's time. Cool fungus though.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46244
Location: yes

Posted: Tue May 13, 14 6:01 pm Post subject:
a very similar floor to the only time i have found one tis nice to see a rarity

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Wed May 14, 14 8:40 am Post subject:
Have never seen that one. Interesting. A good way of spending a Monday.

sueshells

Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 690
Location: North Bucks

Posted: Thu May 15, 14 10:45 pm Post subject:
Excellent idea - and a lovely fungus.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Tue May 27, 14 12:17 am Post subject:
This Monday we went out during the day, hoping to see Green Hairstreaks. But the weather put a stop to that. But we did see Houndstongue just coming into flower. Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Tue May 27, 14 6:21 am Post subject:
Your area seems to be completely different from ours. Not a plant I am familiar with. We have things like twayblade, the tail end of the goldilocks buttercup and wild garlic flower just finishing too. Sure there will be other flowers including red campion along, but most of our woodland flowers are in the spring of course. Hairbells on the downs in a little while I would expect.

Woo

Joined: 19 Sep 2011
Posts: 787
Location: Mayenne, Pays de Loire

Posted: Tue May 27, 14 7:14 am Post subject:
What great pictures, the walking group sounds nice too. I wouldn't have known the first one was a fungus. The flower was very pretty. My daughter was delighted by the image. Thank you for sharing them. Ruth

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Tue May 27, 14 8:44 am Post subject:
You do some interesting exploring with your group, and as Woo says, some lovely pictures. Will be interested to hear what else you find through the year.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Tue May 27, 14 11:22 am Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

You do some interesting exploring with your group, and as Woo says, some lovely pictures. Will be interested to hear what else you find through the year.

Glad you like the pictures.

Below is what we found the Monday before last. An uncommon weevil that landed on the bonnet of one of the cars. It looks remarkably like a bird dropping, which is presumably some sort of protective colouration.
Its name is Platystomos albinus and is described in the book as "Very local and usually rare"

Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Wed May 28, 14 8:27 am Post subject:
Interesting. I sometimes wonder with some of these rare things if they really are rare or if people just don't notice them. A friend found a rare fungus in our wood a few years ago. It may have been rare, but as it was only a tiny one, rather suspect there is more of it about than is thought.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Wed May 28, 14 11:30 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

Interesting. I sometimes wonder with some of these rare things if they really are rare or if people just don't notice them. A friend found a rare fungus in our wood a few years ago. It may have been rare, but as it was only a tiny one, rather suspect there is more of it about than is thought.

You make a good point. I once found a fairly uncommon beetle by sweeping, during the winter. My coleopterist friend said he'd never found one that early, but "nobody sweeps in the winter".

Another friend did some sweeping at night, and found a totally different range of insects.

There are some rare fungi which are found in quite common habitat. There is lots of (apparently) identical habitat where these fungi haven't been found (yet), so either there is something different about the places where they do grow, or mycologists just haven't looked hard enough.

Wildlife presents an endless challenge.

Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Thu May 29, 14 7:08 am Post subject:
Without being a fungus or a beetle you wouldn't know really would you. There can be very marked differences over a fairly small distance but sometimes it is to do with temporary conditions like light because of the way the trees have grown.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 14 12:19 am Post subject:
Meadow Cranesbill from yesterday evening's walk. I am always happy when I find these lovely flowers! Henry

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