Lym Nats, along with other local organisations and businesses, have a Christmas tree in the Christmas Tree Festival at St. Thomas' Church, Lymington this December. Our regular monthly indoor meetings from Autumn to Spring are held in the Church hall. Thanks to the creative efforts of a team the Society's members it is an amazing tree ingeniously decorated with natural baubles.
Our tree #33
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| The decorations close-up |
The trees are on display until 6th December.
Photos © Richard Coomber
It didn’t bode well! We sheltered in our cars as rain pelted down just before we were due to start off, but RS has a really clever App on his phone that makes the rain stop (actually a Radar tracker). The sun came out (sort of) and it then didn’t rain again for the whole walk.
From the car park, ten minutes late leaving, we had brief distant views of Marsh Harriers. From the sea wall we saw that there were a lot of Curlew, presumably they had just come in, but even so pairs were ‘pairing’ as though it was Spring. One pair neatly posed to show off that the female has a longer bill than the male (see below). A Raven was spotted sitting on a fence post and out to sea, on a small spit of land were some Eiders and a couple of Avocets.
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| Curlew - male and female © Chris Robinson |
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| Raven © Richard Smith |
Shoveler - drake © Richard Smith
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| Pintail © Chris Robinson |
There were quite a few LBJs,
both Rock and Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Linnets, Reed Buntings and we were
serenaded by a Cetti’s warbler.
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| Rock Pipit © Chris Robinson |
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| Reed Bunting © Chris Robinson |
We parked in sunshine overlooking
Wilverley Plain, and Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Starling and Magpie were
seen on the lawn before we entered the enclosure at the north-western end of the car park by
the “Wilverley Wander” signpost. 
Pied Wagtail - female © Chris Robinson
Proceeding ahead on the main path,
we soon diverted right to examine fungi: Yellow Stagshorn, Hairy Curtain Crust andMyceana sp. were seen on fallen branches,
Birch Polypore on a nearby tree and Small Stagshorn and Purple Jellydisc on a rotting
stump. A Larch tree was distorted by a huge ball of vegetation high in the canopy,
thought to be caused by a fungal infection. A log to the left of the main track
nurtured further fungi including: Candlesnuff Fungus, Turkeytail and King Alfred’s
Cakes.
Distorted Larch © Julia Race
We turned right by a green metal enclosure sign, then almost immediately left on a path heading into the woods past carpets of moss and Porcelain Fungi. Fallen twigs were rich in well-developed lichen including Usnea sp., Parmotrema sp. and Cladonia sp. Mycelium of a white rot fungus was examined on a fallen tree, while Song Thrush and Wren were seen in the trees.
Ferns seen included Male and Hard Ferns, then we studied Wood Sorrel and more Yellow Staghorn, before bearing left for a short distance on the main track, then taking the next right turn to leave the enclosure through a gate into the sunshine. Walking ahead, then bearing right onto a path we passed Cross-leaved Heath in flower before walking under the Burley Road bridge.
Male Fern © Julia Race
Wellingtons were advised for this section down to the Avon Water, as a stream was overflowing across the firm gravel path. Walking past a reed bed, Bog Myrtle, Water Mint, Marsh St. John’s Wort and Bog Bean were growing. We paused by the Avon Water to enjoy the peaceful, sunny scene, before retracing our steps back to the enclosure, stopping for refreshments in the sun on the way. A Coral Brittlegill was seen on the lawn just outside the enclosure.
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| Avon Water - ford © Julia Race |
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| The refreshment stop just outside Wilverley © Julia Race |
Re-tracing our steps through the gate, up the gravel track, and turning right at the first junction, we climbed steadily on a wide sunny gravel track, with Blackberries in fruit, where a Red Admiral, a Green Woodpecker and a Wren were seen. The route was lined with ferns including Hard Shield Fern. Hairy Curtain Crust and Honey Fungus clumps were seen on fallen trees.
The Sickener Russula emetica © Julia Race
We turned left on the gravel track, observing resin seeping from the bark of several trees, leaving white stains down the trunks. A Splitgill was studied on a fallen tree. At the green metal enclosure sign, we turned right to re-trace our steps back to the car park past figwort plants: On route we studied a large group of Common Inkcaps at different stages of growth and decay. Goldcrest, Blue and Coal Tits and Robin were spotted and a Nuthatch heard. J & A
Common Inkcap © Chris Robinson
We turned left on the gravel track, observing resin seeping from the bark of several trees, leaving white stains down the trunks. A Splitgill was studied on a fallen tree. At the green metal enclosure sign, we turned right to re-trace our steps back to the car park past figwort plant
Our route
© Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 005/22.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2022
Tuesday 22 November 2022 at 7.15pm,
via Zoom (Members only by invitation)
Speaker: Rob Farrington
Title: Wild Woodbury
On the topic of
re-wilding, Rob will explain why it can be an incredibly useful tool in
tackling climate and ecological catastrophe and also look at the plans and
observations on the Wild Woodbury project in Dorset.
The talk will last for approximately 60 minutes, followed by an
opportunity to ask questions.
Please try your Zoom connection prior to the evening and don’t
hesitate to get in touch with us if you need some support.
From 7 pm there is a 15 minute slideshow with a commentary by Richard
Coomber on a selection from our Facebook pages.
With probably more photographs being take than ever before our Facebook group gives members the chance to share their observations and images with other members and perhaps to get photos of unknown species identified by others. We would more like members to join and participate for it is only seen by those in the group and not by the rest of the World!
This week's General Interest will set off at 10.00 from the main car par at Wilverley. Following their recce, Julia and Andrea recommend Wellington Boots recent heavy rains. They said:
"We found that one part of the walk has a drainage ditch alongside it, and today water had strayed onto the firm gravel path in a few places. We recommend people wear wellington boots if they want to enjoy this section of the walk. If people don’t have wellington boots then they can pause at the start of the path and wait for us to return (this section of the walk is a short there and back route)."
Grid ref: SU254009
What3Words: swelling.foggy.palms
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| Green Elfcup© Glynis Payne |
Following a night and morning of heavy rain, our group of intrepid fungi foragers were rewarded with a great range of fungi in the woods from the Hedgehog with tooth like spines where you would expect to see gills to the turquoise cups of Green Elfcup, the fascinating maze-like pattern of pores in the Oak Mazegill and the little purple jewel of Amethyst Deceiver. Full list below. The final reward was to be greeted with sunshine as we emerged from the wood. R&GP
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Agaricus langei |
Scaly Wood Mushroom |
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Amanita citrina |
False Deathcap |
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Amanita muscaria |
Fly Agaric |
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Amanita rubescens |
Blusher |
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Armillaria mellea |
Honey Fungus |
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Ascocoryne sarcoides |
Purple Jellydisc |
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Cantharellus cibarius |
Chanterelle |
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Chlorociboria aeruginascens |
Green Elfcup |
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Clavulina coralloides |
Crested Coral |
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Clavulinopsis fusiformis |
Golden Spindles |
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Collybia butyracea |
Butter Cap |
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Coprinellus micaceus |
Glistening Inkcap |
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Daedalea quercina |
Oak Mazegill |
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Datronia mollis |
Common Mazegill |
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Exidea nucleata |
Crystal Brain |
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Exidia glandulosa |
Witches Butter |
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Fomes fomentarius |
Hoof Fungus |
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Ganoderma australe |
Southern Bracket |
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Gymnopilus penetrans |
Common Rustgill |
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Helvella crispa |
White Saddle |
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Helvella lacunosa |
Elfin Saddle |
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Hydnum repandum |
Wood Hedgehog |
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Hypholoma fasciculare |
Sulphur Tuft |
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Hypoxilon fragiforme |
Beech Woodwart |
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Laccaria amethystina |
Amethyst Deceiver |
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Lactarius quietus |
Oakbug Milkcap |
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Lactarius subdulcis |
Mild Milkcap |
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Leccinum aurantiacum |
Orange Oak Bolete |
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Leccinum scabrum |
Brown Birch Bolete |
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Lycoperdon utriforme |
Common Puffball |
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Mycena pura |
Lilac Bonnet |
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Neobulgaria pura |
Beech Jellydisc |
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Oudemansiella mucida |
Porcelain Fungus |
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Piptoporus betulinus |
Birch Polypore |
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Ramaria abietina |
Ramaria abietina |
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Ramaria stricta |
Upright Coral |
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Russula fragilis |
Fragile Brittlegill |
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Russula nobilis |
Beechwood Sickener |
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Russula velenovskyi |
Coral Brittlegill |
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Stereum hirsutum |
Hairy Curtain Crust |
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Trametes versicolor |
Turkeytail |
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Xylaria hypoxylon |
Candlesnuff Fungus |
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Xylaria longipes |
Dead Moll’s Fingers |
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| The Blusher © Richard Coomber |
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| Crystal Brain © Glynis Payne |
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| Upright Coral © Richard Smith |
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| Crested Coral © Richard Coomber |
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| Oak Mazegill © Richard Smith |
