Walk report: 02 January 2019 High Corner

Treecreeper

© Richard Smith

On a very grey cloudy morning 17 of us set out to walk down to the High Corner Inn. From the car park there are excellent views to the west across the forest and beyond. The way to the Inn leads along the edge of the broad-leaved woodland of High Corner wood.  Polypody  was seen on Oak as well as Hard- fern in the ditches. Butcher’s Broom had both berries and some withered flowers.

The area past the Inn opens out to a sandy green and a large flock of Redwing were seen feeding on the ground where the bracken had been cut, the Holly had been stripped of berries. There were good sightings of Nuthatch and Tree Creeper, and the sandy area was well dug by Rabbits.

Badger sett

© Glynis Payne

Cladonia © Glynis Payne

Turning to walk uphill around Amberslade Bottom, we came across the bright yellow mass of jelly-like fungus of Yellow Brain which was on a small fallen branch of Oak. Then continuing on over a stream a Badger set was seen.

At the top of the hill near Broomy Lodge the track turns to lead across Broomy Plain. Along the edge of the track amongst the heather there were several patches of Cladonia portentosa, a lichen which is very fine and wire like, together with patches of Cladonia uncialis. The path here crosses the plain and is quite exposed with views all the way back to the car park, luckily for us it was not too windy. PP

Birds:- Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Redwing, Chaffinch, Treecreeper, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow.  Blackbird, Robin, Meadow Pipit (heard), Stonechat (heard).

Fungi:- Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor), Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), Yellow Brain (Tremella mesenterica).

Lichen:- Flavoparmelia caperata ,  Oak Moss (Evernia prunastri), Cladonia portentosa, Cladonia uncialis.