Yesterday we decided to check on the fungi in East Scrub, a protected part of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve that we have worked on to encourage low scrub for breeding birds but it has also created a good habitat for toadtools with lots of dead wood, damp conditions and variable light. Here a few images of the different species and a sheet with ID.
The thick mist at Toft had cleared a bit by the time I got to Paxton Pits this morning but the Pits still looked very atmospheric. Great to see signs that the next breeding season is not that far off - two Great Crested Grebes are obviously a 'couple', a Heron perched on the branch next to this year's nest site and some of the Cormorants are adding a brilliant orange to the yellow facial marking indicating that the are starting to come into breeding state. Grey Wagtail reflected colours together with the Robin made great photographic subjects along with the White Egret and the dew drops in the spiders' webs.
In the afternoon yesterday, we went down the steep stepped path into an area that is always good for fungi and spent time there searching out and photographing some very attractive species. I also got distracted taking focus stacks of this very hairy fly - Suillia species.
Very limited and not-in-best-condition photos from the Cambridge Natural History Society fungi-recording session on Sunday afternoon. I have looked a few up but not at all sure of the accuracy of the IDs so am keeping them to myself!!
