Sunday 1st January 2017

All I can say to start this post is 'what a horrible weather day!'  The rain was set in all day and by mid-day I thought blow it, wet or not I'm gonna have a walk on the common.  As it was so grim I decided to spend most of my time mooching about in the wooded area on the south east corner of the reserve.  Pickings were slim with the highlight being a small tit flock that I connected with consisting of Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits and a single Nuthatch that was moving around with them.  Other birds recorded in this area were Magpie, Blackbird, Wren and Woodpigeon.  So not an exciting bird list but about on par for a wet winters day.


The woodland did however provide a bit more interest on the fungi front with Hairy Curtain Crust, Witches Butter and Turkey Tail.  The latter was quite young growth but could be differentiated from the similar Smokey Bracket by looking at the pore surface (underside).  In Turkey Tail it is white but in Smokey Bracket the pore surface is grey.  Also noted today was Oak Moss lichen.


Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum)

Witches' Butter (Exidia glandulosa)

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

From the woodland I headed to the north end of the common near the main visitors car park.  Here I added a few more species of bird to the list with Song Thrush, Dunnock, Robin and Greenfinch.   I also added my first mammals to the year list with a single Grey Squirrel and 3 Rabbits...contain yourselves!   


By now I was well and truly sodden and decided to call it a day.  That said the weather is looking more promising for tomorrow so hopefully I can return and do some proper mooching about!


Oak Moss Lichen (Evernia prunastri)