Reading & District Natural History Society

Pagham Harbour - 23rd January 2010

Jan Haseler — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:21:26 +0000

On Saturday 23rd January, Martin Sell led a joint field trip of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and Reading and District Natural History Society to Pagham Harbour in West Sussex. Brent Geese, Wigeon, Shelduck, Shoveller and Teal were seen in the flooded fields near the visitor centre at Sidlesham Ferry, while Redshank, Knot and Pintail showed well on the creek-side mud in the harbour. Next stop was Church Norton, where the tide still had some way to come in. Prominent black under-wing markings made the Grey Plovers easily identifiable in flight. Other waders in the harbour included Dunlins, Oystercatchers and Curlews. Looking out over the sea from the shingle bank above the beach, it was possible with telescopes to pick out Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Scoters, while a bulky dark bird was identified as a Great Northern Diver. Turnstones were feeding at the bottom of the beach. A small flock of Red-throated Divers flew past out to sea while lunch was being consumed in the shelter of the sea wall at Selsey. A surprisingly close Little Egret flew up from a road-side garden on the drive back to Church Norton. As high tide approached, big flocks of waders flew above the harbour, including an enormous mixed flock of Lapwings and Golden Plovers. Bar-tailed Godwits and Ringed Plovers were seen on a nearby mud-bank, while 4 Avocets feeding on a distant channel were a satisfying end to a full day.

Pictures by Ray Reedman and Jan Haseler

River Thames below Caversham - 12th December 2009

Jan Haseler — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:34:59 +0000

Members met at Reading Bridge on Saturday 12^th December for a walk along the Thames, led by Chris Bucke. It was a cold but sunny morning. The first stop was at the small nature reserve at View Island. In the meadow area, Goldfinches were feeding on the seeds of Chicory and there were still a few blue flowers on the plants. The Thames was very full and the stripy shells of Zebra Mussels could be seen on the fully-raised sluice gates at Caversham Lock. A little way down river, the big Black Poplar in Kings Meadow was inspected. There were numerous exit holes of the nationally scarce Hornet Moth around the base of the trunk. The buds were very pointed and there was a single clump of Mistletoe high in the tree. Two Black Swans were swimming close to the bank of the Thames. Other birds seen included a Kingfisher, a Chiffchaff and several Grey Herons. Ash from the steam trains used to be dumped near the Tesco site and plants on the ash beds included Mignonette, Evening Primrose, Teasel and Mullein.

Plants

Hart’s-tongue Fern Phyllitis scolopendrium
Hornbeam Carpinus betulus
Black-poplar Populus nigra
Hybrid Black-poplar Populus showing exit holes of Hornet Moth larvae
Wild Mignonette Reseda lutea
Evening-primrose Oenothera sp
Mistletoe Viscum album
Great Mullein Verbascum Thapsus
Wild Teasel Dipascus fullonum
Chicory Cichorium intybus

Invertebrates

Zebra Mussels

Birds

Grey Herons
Kingfisher
Black Swans
Chiffchaff
Goldfinches

From Reading to Kew in 60 Journals

ChrisR — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:33:47 +0000

by James Wearn

The Reading and District Natural History Society has forged an agreement with the Library, Art and Archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The pact is based upon the transfer of copies of the society’s journals, past, present and future (numbering 60 issues so far), to Kew. This significant step will endow mutual benefit by giving the long-standing efforts of society members a much wider audience, while the provision of important biological records from Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire will aid research by visitors and staff at Kew.

I thank our President Graham Saunders for approval to go ahead with my plan, Malcolm Storey for his trojan efforts as editor of the journal, Jan Haseler for help with aquisition of back issues and various other queries, and Fiona Ainsworth (Collections Manager in the Library, Art and Archives section at RBG Kew) for agreeing to take our journal into the prestigious collections at RBG Kew.

Rushall Manor Farm and River Pang - December 16th 2009

Ricki Bull — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:55:13 +0000

Seven members met at Rushall Manor Farm on a crisp, frosty morning that rapidly turned to steady light snowfall. This severely interfered with plant discovery and very few birds were seen, not surprisingly. The woods to the north of Rushall Manor Farm were explored and the walk extended through fields down to the Pang. The upwelling of underground water in the Blue Pool complex was admired and one intrepid welly-clad member waded in the river looking for crayfish, unsuccessfully. A possibly exciting specimen in the river proved to be a discarded sock.In spite of the accumulating snow, a good number of fungi were noted, all of them frozen solid. They included:

Clitocybe flaccida (Tawny Funnel Cap)
Clitocybe nebularis (Clouded Agaric)
Clitocybe geotropa
Collybia butyracea (Buttercap)
Mycena galericulata (Bonnet Mycena)
Mycena sp.
Lepista sordida
Stereum hirsutum (Hairy Stereum)
Lactarius turpis (Ugly Milk Cap)
Laccaria laccata (The Deceiver)
Russula heterophylla
Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore)

Lunch by the fireside in the Old Bull at Stanford Dingley was most welcome!

Article by Chris Bucke

Massaria inquinans - FIRST COUNTY RECORD OF THIS SPECIES FOR OXFORDHSIRE (VC23)

ChrisR — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:41:59 +0000

by James Wearn

Location: Fallen dead branch of Acer pseudoplatanus, Withymead Nature Reserve, near Goring, Oxfordshire, 27 July 2009
Collector: Dr J.A. Wearn
Identified by: Dr J.A. Wearn & Dr B. Aguirre-Hudson (Kew)
Voucher specimen: Herb. J.A. Wearn, Wearn F064 (duplicate to be deposited at Kew)

This is a particularly interesting record of a scarce fungus and is a first for Oxfordshire. I have trawled all the records and spoken to all the likely recorders for the region and have not discovered any previous records for Massaria inquinans in Oxfordshire (and I have checked synonyms too). It has small black fruit bodies on dead Acer wood so is overlooked by most people. It was certainly worth getting down on my hands and knees with my lens!

RDNHS Photographic Competition 2008

ChrisR — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:56:05 +0000

Rules for exhibitors

1. The competition is open to all members of the Reading & District Natural History Society

2. Members may enter a maximum of 2 photos per category. They may enter up to 5 of the 7 categories

3. Each photo must not be bigger than A4 size (210×297 mm)

4. Photographs must not have been entered in the competition before

5. With the exception of the ‘Open Wildlife’ category, photographs must have been taken in the UK

Rules for judging

1. Each member attending the exhibition is allowed 1 vote per category and 1 vote for the overall best in show

2. Votes must be given to the organizer at least 30 minutes before the results are to be announced

3. Votes must be written on the voting forms

4. Winners will be announced at the end of the evening the winner of each category will be the photograph with the most votes. In the event of a tie the President will be invited to choose a winner.

5. A prize will be awarded for the overall best photo in the show.

Nettlebed Wood - 15th November 2009

Jan Haseler — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:24:39 +0000

The Society’s annual fungus foray was held in Nettlebed Woods on Sunday 15^th November. The walk started from Highmoor Trench in warm sunshine, with the autumn colours looking superb in the beech woods. Recent mild weather and heavy rain had led to a bumper crop of fungi. Leader Gordon Crutchfield was kept very busy, identifying fungi of a great variety of colours and structures. These included the twisted white Helvella crispa, the single thin club-like spike of Clavariadelphus fistulosus, the velvety red boletus, the delicate pale fronds of Ramaria stricta, the deep purple Amethyst Deceiver and the orange Tawny Funnel Cap. Several moths, including a Feathered Thorn, were spotted down amongst the fallen leaves.

The following fungi were identified in the field (without microscopic confirmation):

Amanita citrina False Death Cap

Macrolepiota konradii

Lepiota castanea

Armillaria mellea agg. Honey Fungus

Tricholoma album agg.

Clitocybe nebularis Clouded Agaric

Clitocybe flaccida Tawny Funnel Cap

Clitocybe odora Aniseed Toadstool

Laccaria laccata Deceiver

Laccaria amethystea Amethyst Deceiver

Collybia butyracea Butter Cap

Hygrophorus eburneus Ivory Wax Cap

Hygrophorus chrysodon Gold-flecked Woodwax

Mycena polygramma

Mycena galericulata Bonnet Mycena

Mycena sanguinolenta

Mycena crocata

Mycena pura

Mycena inclinata

Mycena pelianthina

Mycena flavescens

Lactarius blennius Slimy Milk-cap

Lactarius subdulcis

Russula nobilis Beechwood Sickener

Pluteus cervinus

Cortinarius alboviolaceus

Cortinarius infractus

Cortinarius flexipes

Gymnopilus penetrans

Hebeloma crustuliniforme agg. Poison Pie

Coprinus comatus Shaggy Ink Cap

Coprinus micaceus Glistening Ink Cap

Coprinus plicatilis

Panaeolus papilionaceus var. parvisporus Bell-shaped Mottlegill

Crepidotus variabilis

Boletus badius Bay Boletus

Boletus chrysenteron agg. Red-cracked Boletus

Ganoderma adspersum

Stereum hirsutum Hairy Stereum

Tyromyces albellus

Schizopora paradoxa

Lycoperdon perlatum

Lycoperdon pyriforme

Clavariadelphus fistulosus

Ramaria stricta

Auricularia auricula-judae Jew’s Ear

Exidia glandulosa Witches’ Butter

Exidia thuretiana

Helvella crispa Common White Helvella

Bisporella citrina Lemon Disco

Xylaria hypoxylon Candle-snuff Fungus

Badhamia utricularis (a slime mould)

identified by Gordon Crutchfield

Moths

Feathered Thorn

November Moth agg

Emmelina monodactyla

Upper Basildon - November 18th, 2009

Ricki Bull — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:54:37 +0000

Inspecting Fungi in Harley Hill Wood

Seventeen members, led by Ken Thomas, met at The Red Lion in Upper Basildon and, after a visit to a very beautiful and interesting modern church, walked through suburban and country lanes past Blandy’s Farm and through Harley Hill Wood down to Hood End Farm, then up the lane and around Rushdown and back to the pub for lunch.

Twenty-three species of plants were found in bloom, just about all of them in the first half of the walk and none of them unexpected. The walk starred fungi, over fifty different species were noted, a surprisingly good number bearing in mind that very little of the walk was through woodland. Some courageous members collected Blewits, Agaricus augustus and Tawny Funnel Cap to eat (and very good they were!). Very few birds were spotted, perhaps not surprising on a dull, very windy morning. The walk was, nevertheless, very enjoyable.

PLANTS IN FLOWER

Giant Hogweed

Goatsbeard

Dandelion

Hawkweed

Sowthistle

White Deadnetle

Creeping Buttercup

Groundsel

Daisies

Yarrow

Wild Carrot

Greater Periwinkle

Nipplewort

Spurge sp.

Feverfew

Herb Robert

Ragwort

Red Clover

Flowering Tall Oatgrass

White Campion

Common Scabious

Mayweed

Ivy

FUNGI

Shaggy Parasol

Psathyrella sp.

Clitocybe geotropa

Agaricus augustus

Agaricus placomyces

Agaricus sp.

Clouded Agaric

Armilaria mellea

Bonnet Mycena

Brown Roll Rim

Buttercap

Candle-snuff Fungus

Clytocybe geotropa

Colybia dryophila

Cortinarius calochrous

Cortinarius sp.

Crepidotus variabilis

Entoloma nidosorum

Fairy Ring Champignon

False Chanterelle

Galerina sp.

Giant Puffball

Glistening Inkcap

Gymnopilus penetrans

Hebeloma sp.

Inocybe sp.

Lepiota cristata

Lepiota sp.

Lycoperdon perlatum

Lyophyllum loricatum

Marasmus wynnei

Melanaleuca arctuata

Mycena flavo-alba

Mycena galopus

Mycena leptosphala

Mycena pura

Mycena sp.

Psathyrella conopilus

Psathyrella sp.

Red-cracked Boletus

Shaggy Inkcap

Shaggy Parasol

Spotted Tough-shank

Stropharia caerulea

Stropharia semiglobata

Sulphur Tuft

Tawny Funnel Cap

Tricholoma suphureum

Wood Blewitt

Woolly Milkcap

Hypoxylon fragiforme

Schizopora paradoxa

Xylaria fuscum

Xylaria nummularium

(Article by Chris Bucke, photos by Ricki Bull)

Chapel Row and Beenham – 21st October 2009

Ricki Bull — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:39:50 +0000

Sharp-leaved Fluellen (kickxia elatine)

Eleven members met at the Blade Bone and walked through Ironmongers Copse, Withy Copse and Greyfield Wood. In some years this area has been so rich in fungi that a walk got no further but this year there were few fungi to be seen. The walk continued alongside High Wood and into Beenham village, down to Beenham church to admire the view, then back through Butler’s Farm, up to Gunnell’s Farmhouse and back along the road.

Fungi were seen; the occasional fly agaric, sulphur tufts, birch polypores, Ganoderma applanatum, various Coprinus species and Mycenas. Some brilliantly orange fungi very close to the end of the walk proved to be honey fungus and an oak tree nearby was infected with Griffola frondosa. A tiny wax cap was found – probably these will become more plentiful, and larger, as the season progresses.

The most noteworthy species seen were a hare, between Butler’s Farm and Gunnell’s Farmhouse, and fine displays of Corn Marigolds (Chrysanthemum segetum) (between Beenham Church and Beenham Stocks) and Sharp-leaved Fluellen (Kickxia elatine) in a very weed-rich field between Greyfield Wood and High Wood. One of the Fluellen plants was a metre wide. Red Admiral and Painted Lady butterflies were noted.

Other species were:

A Stereum species

Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)

Charlock (Sinapis arvensis)

Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis)

Corn Mint (Mentha arvensis)

Field Pansy (Viola arvensis)

Black Bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus)

Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima)

Soft Rush (Juncus effusus)

Buzzard

Red Kite

House Sparrow.

(Article by Chris Bucke, photographs by R. Bull)

Honey Fungus

RDNHS members examining fungus

Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum)

Shiplake Church - 17th October 2009

ChrisR — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:07:05 +0000

Lichen (Caloplaca sp.)

Members gathered in the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul, Shiplake, Oxfordshire on Saturday 17^th October 2009 to look at lichens. Leader James Wearn began the afternoon by explaining the reasons for choosing the site. It had been more than thirty years since a lichen walk had been led in the churchyard, the last being directed by the renowned botanist Francis Rose during the late 1970s. In addition, there is a good diversity of lichens in such a small area, which is ideal for enthusing beginners and more knowledgeable members alike.

James explained that different species could be found on acidic and basic stone (largely affected by pH levels) and demonstrated the range of forms from shrubby (fruticose) or leaf-like (foliose) to crust-forming (crustose). The colours of lichens in the churchyard range from white, bright yellow, and orange to shades of green, blue-green, grey and black. Using a hand lens the group examined the different reproductive structures and their importance as indicators of different lichen families or species. The group also discussed the ecology of lichens and James received some excellent questions regarding the effects of the environment, including light levels and precipitation. The group then walked along the track next to the Thames to look at lichens on trees.

A list of non-lichen species encountered is included below. A full lichen species list will be included as a separate article by James in the 2009 volume of our journal, The Reading Naturalist (to be distributed in March 2010).

§ Grey Cushion-moss, Grimmia pulvinata - on the tops of many of the basic headstones.

§ Wall Rue, Asplenium ruta-muraria - church wall.

§ Pellitory-of-the-Wall, Parietaria judaica - church wall.

§ Woody Nightshade, Solanum dulcamara - south side of church by the wall.

§ Dark Mullein, Verbascum nigrum - south side of church by the wall.

§ Harlequin Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis - unspotted orange form on top of headstone.

§ Ruby Tiger Moth caterpillar, Phragmatobia fuliginosa - walking along the track outside the boatyard.

(article and lichen photos by James Wearn, other photos by Jan Haseler.)