Michael Keith-Lucas led a walk at BBOWT’s Wildmoor Heath reserve on Sunday 24 September. While the group were gathering, two Comma butterflies were spotted on the adjacent vegetation. It was a good day for finding fungi, and a wide variety were seen, including Common Earthball, Fly Agaric, Brown Birch Bolete, Amethyst Deceiver, Birch Polypore and a number of different Milkcaps, Russulas and Boletes. Ling, Bell Heather and Cross-leaved Heath were all still in flower. A number of different Cladonia lichen species were found below the heather, including a specimen with red fruits and Cladonia fimbriata, with cup-shaped podetia. The brightly coloured Yellow Stagshorn fungus was seen nearby. The walk description had included a recommendation that wellies should be worn, and it soon became clear why this was a good idea, as Michael led the group from tussock to tussock, deep into an area of mire. Species of Sphagnum moss found here included Sphagnum magellanicum, S. fimbriatum, S. pallustre, S. papillosum, S. inundatum, S. cuspidatum and S. capillifolium. Round-leaved Sundew and the seed heads of Bog Asphodel were also seen. The walk continued on solid ground for a while, before crossing another bog, where White Beak-sedge was seen in flower. In the final stretch of woodland on the way back to the cars, a number of specimens of the fungus Coltricia perennis were found. It is a funnel-shaped fungus with pores and the cap has concentric circles, coloured in different tones of cream, yellow and tawny-brown.
Pictures by Laurie Haseler