Milking Bonnett

Another fungi found growing on the mossy area of the lawn is I believe Milking Bonnett (Mycena galopus). It comes in various forms and this white Milking Bonnett is var candida. It exudes white latex when bruised. The Kingfisher is frequenting the Elliot Bridge area of Morpeth despite the river being swollen it is feeding well. This pic was taken yesterday just below the Chinese takeaway.

Arrhenia retiruga

When hanging the washing out in the garden the other day I noticed dozens of small white fungi growing on a mossy area of the lawn. I believe they are a jelly like fungus called Arrhenia retiruga. While photographing them yesterday morning four Whooper Swans flew South East over the garden. I have seen several small flocks of Whooper Swans at Widdrington Moor lake where there have been between 9 and 18 birds over the past 2 weeks. 3 flew South over Druridge Bay country park this morning. The lake was very quiet for numbers of wildfowl with a small variety all in single figures compared to the late 1980's when it was difficult to count the wildfowl at times here because of the huge numbers and only icy conditions made them scarce then. The Stonechat was in the dunes and back at Morpeth I've had no more Otter sightings on the Wansbeck and the Mandarin ducks appear to have moved on. I have had a couple of Kingfisher sightings between Oldgate and the weir at Oliver's mill this week despite the river being swollen.

Monk's Ridge

Pale Persicaria (Persicaria lapathifolia) 

Golden Waxcap (Hygrocybe chlorophana)

Trooping Funnel (Clitocybe geotropa)

Monk's Ridge is a grassed area like many other grassed areas on housing estates in Morpeth which the council cuts within a millimetre of its life which is no good for the flora but very good for Hygrocybe fungi. There are many species but Golden Waxcap is by far the most numerous. Pale Persicaria has a bit of a scattered distribution in the county according to BBSI maps but I have not seen any around the Stobswood area despite the frequency of disturbance of topsoil from opencast mining in the area. It is very numerous in Morpeth with many plants popping up where the flood defence work has been taking place and it also grows in my vegetable patch. The Trooping Funnel picture was taken at St Mary's churchyard. Looking at the pics I need to where my glasses more often as I'm sure they were a bit sharper when I took them!