Abbey Meadows

Abbey Meadows

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Snowy waxcap



Snowy Waxcap (Hygrocybe virginea)


Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes)


Wood Blewit (Lepista nuda)



Bay Bolete (Boletus badius)

Snowy Waxcap and other Hygrocybes are out in their thousands in grassy areas around Abbey Meadows and Monks Ridge areas of Morpeth. The Velvet Shank is also quite numerous around Morpeth woodland and both the Bay Bolete and Wood Blewitt were photographed at Druridge Bay Country Park.

Saturday 1 November 2014

Stobswood and the last GMS



Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acer)...Stobswood brickworks


Tynesde Leopardsbane (Ligularia przewalskii)...Stobswood railway bank


the expanding reedbed at Widdrington tip


Grizette (Amanita vaginata)...Stobswood

At Widdrington tip or Stobswood 'Alder carr' there were hundreds of small birds. Good numbers of Goldfinch, lesser Redpoll, 2 individual flocks of Long tailed Tit numbering 30 each with other Tit family members present, Goldcrest and Chiffchaff. Worth looking through these flocks as this is just the place one of those Northerners might turn up one day. Hundreds of Redwings and Blackbirds and large numbers of Wrens; at least 30 in the hedgerows. A nice party of 15 Bullfinches were piping along the Guelder Roses at the back of the old pit heap. The Reedbed is establishing itself well in the carr and at the brickworks Blue Fleabane has reached almost every corner of this brownfield site. Some plants were still in flower but many had gone to seed like the Ligularia przewalskii (also known as Tyneside Leopardsbane) which is spreading along the railway baffle banks. Recently I commented on PC wanderings blog on Grisette fungi (Amanita vaginata) saying it is years since I had seen a one (Beacon Hill in the 90's) when I stumbled upon the one pictured above below Birches in Grangewood behind the brickworks. They are not uncommon but hard to see and can be variable in appearance, this one has veil remnants on the cap.




Last night was the last night of the GMS scheme and in the trap this morning was Red Sword-grass, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths and a Garden Rose Tortrix.