A few bits and pieces

Every now and then, a wader turns up at Goldcliff on the Gwent Levels, where I do nearly all of my coastal bird watching. Recently I was scanning through a flock of 40+ Curlews when I noticed one of them had a set of colour rings on its legs. Knowing that there is a Curlew Ringing Group locally I took some pictures and emailed them off to see if they could find out the bird's history.


I was pleased to get a reply a while later, and to discover that this bird was ringed as a breeding male back on the 21st of May 2012 in Saerbeck in Poland, and has bred every year since. I was thrilled to get some feedback on this bird and it intrigues me that a bird can cover such distances. I am keeping a look out for this bird. A while back I spotted a Canada Goose with a leg ring with the letters FANC on it. It transpired this bird was ringed at Windermere several years ago and likes to frequent the Gwent Levels.

There is currently a ringed Black-tailed Godwit at Goldcliff and the details and pictures have been submitted, and I am waiting for a reply on this bird along with a colour ringed Avocet.


Fungi with a fun guy!

The summer months are not usually known to be a good time for fungi, but with the continual warm weather interspersed with rain, it has been ideal for fungi to flourish, and over the last month in two woodland sites I like to visit, the fungi species on offer have been plentiful. Recently I was pleased to find two new editions to my fungi life list - Deer Shield (below) and Tawny Grisette.


The Deer Shield is found on dead stumps, logs and branches and also on sawdust in woodlands. This particular one I found was close to a Hazel with dead wood around it. It varies in size and colour with a felt like centre which becomes greasy when wet. It can have a musty radish-like smell too. It is a common edible species but one which has eluded me for many years.

The Tawny Grisette (below) was more noticeable, standing on a straight stem about 8 inches tall with a tawny-brown cap about 4 inches across. They can grow singly (as in this particular one) or in groups in deciduous woodlands and occasionally with conifers.  They are edible only when cooked but like all fungi, they should only be consumed if you are 100% sure of the species and its edibility. 


Species list from my visit 30/09/2020

Turkey Tail

Black Bulgar

Ganoderma

Deer Shield

Russet Toughshank

Styptic Fungus

Tawny Grisette

Dryad's Saddle

Stump Puffball

Clustered Psatherella

Jelly Fungus

Tinder Fungus

Oyster Mushroom

Trooping Crumble Cap

Birch Polypore









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