Unusually Warm Day Encourages Garden Minilife

Unusually warm today - 18degrees at midday with very little wind brought out  a lot of insects, spiders etc including this Beetle Larva, Harlequin ladybird and various other insects. Spiders were also on the move and I think the white 'mushrooms' are spiders egg sacs. Even a small Geometrid caterpillar feeding on the Knapweed.

 

Sandy Slime Moulds and Fungi under UV light

 We spent a lot of time searching for Slime Moulds and eventually found first Physaurum album and then a new one for me, Craterium minutum. As the light faded, I added a bit of colour with the UV touch - always impressive how differently different species react to UV light.

RSPB Sandy Fungi Session 1

Delighted to find the Birds Nest Fungus again this year including a young stage. Otherwise the highlight was being shown the Nail Fungus by the Mycologist group who were surveying the reserve - a rare fungus only found on (Dartmoor?) pony dung. Will post full ID sheet when I have finished processing.

Bird Walk at Paxton

Our monthly walk at Paxton this morning concentrated on Birds, especially looking out for winter visitors. We did see a large flock of Redwings and several winter duck species - Wigeon, Goldeneye plus a lot of residents (36 species). Good to see all three Heron species (Great and Little Egret and Grey Heron). I spent a bit of time in the Cobham Hide after lunch and photographed a hovering Migrant Hawker.

West Site Cambridge

On Sunday, we visited Cambridge West Site for a few photographs as the sun went down.