Happy New Year!
I don't know why I said that lol, I don't really celebrate it, it's just another day to me. I stayed up last night but only cos I was still busy doing stuff, I didn't even realise it was midnight until some local yobbos set some fireworks off.
But anyway, we both had the day off work, so we decided to go out for a wander. We had both been ill over xmas (not covid, just some crappy flu thing), so we both wanted to go out and get some fresh air. We didn't want to travel too far, so we plumped for a small local Nature Reserve - Gosling Corner Wood
Our first impression: very damp and muddy. Even in the middle of summer it can be quite wet and in the middle of winter it was very wet indead. I had planned to bring wellies just in case.... and then promptly left them at home.
No matter, we were here now... lets take a look around.
At least the mud had its uses lol, here is a hoof print of one of our local Deer species. My partner says it could be Roe Deer, but I'm not sure...
some more wet and muddy paths and a few dormant trees... its not looking very promising...
And then we wandered into the woodland itself...
Ah! Now thats more like it!
Here we have some lovely mushrooms. They look like Puffballs, and they were found growing on a tree stump, so I reckon these might be Stump Puffballs?
I dunno, they don't look right to me... I think I need to do more research...
Some more of the 'stump puffballs'... still not sure on ID
This one is easier... this is a Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon). It gets it's name from the way it looks like a a old (snuffed) candle wick
Other names include 'Stag-horn'... but I think Candlesnuff is more apt. It is a common and widespread species, found on dead and decaying hardwoods.
It is the first time I have come across this species so it was nice to 'tick it off'
After that moment of excitement, we continued on the walk through the mud. It was strangely mild today. Here in the uk at this time of year average temperatures are around 4-8C. Today was a balmy 14C in comparrison.
Very strange.
I got bored of looking down at the mud, so I looked up at all those 'dead' branches....
Not really a fan of Winter, its such a boring season.... roll on Spring with new life and flowers and insects!
Wait a minute... what are these?
They look like standard bird boxes, like those used by small song birds to nest in... but where is the entrance?
Only by looking closer does everything become clear. These are not 'bird boxes' but instead Hibernation boxes for Dormice.
Bet you didn't see that one coming...
As they spend most of their active time in the trees, it makes sense for the entrance hole to be on the back of the box, close to the tree. At this time of year it is safe to assume that inside this box is a tiny little Dormouse hibernating (though of course I have no intention of opening the box and disturbing it)
There actually 7 boxes spotted on our walk, so likely to be part of a dedicated 'conservation project' to monitor the number of Dormice in the area.
Back to the walk, my partner spotted this teeny tiny little mushroom on the path. Reminds me of a 'Deceiver' species [Laccaria laccata] but again not sure....
And then on the way back to the car, I found some more of the Candlesnuff fungus
Thats a nice to place to end this lol. It was a lovely walk today, but it was definatley great to see a type of mushroom I had never seen before.
I think I'll take that as a good omen to start this year off in the right way!
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