Walk report: 03 October 2019 Busketts Lawn

Porcelain Fungus

© Glynis Payne

A party of fifteen, nearly sixteen with an enthusiastic pony, set off on a rather overcast morning but it quickly developed into a lovely crisp sunny autumn day with the main highlight being the wonderful variety of fungi that we encountered along the way.

Walking past the cricket ground we found a collection of Fly Agaric and then on down a broad swathe of lawn with a number of Green Elf Cup stained branches we were treated to a flight display from at least a couple of Wood Larks, several Mistle Thrushes and a fleeting sight of a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Southern Bracket

© Richard Smith

On diving into the dense old wood we came across a fallen Beech that was covered in hundreds of small yellow mushrooms and the splintered base was host to good specimens of Southern Bracket.

Emerging from the wood we walked along open rides with a lot of chatter in the trees from Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch. A gang of about a dozen Long-tailed Tits crossed the path just ahead of us.

Brown Birch Bolete

© Glynis Payne

A coffee break by a stream revealed Wood Spurge and Wood Sorrel and an unusual white coral type fungus covered in green mould on the underside of a fallen Beech plus a couple of Chanterelle. Then on across the footbridge and up into the wood, emerging again onto an open lawn called Gutter Heath with ponies and cattle grazing among the tussucky mounds with a Painted Lady flitting briefly by.

Winding back across the stream we passed an oak that had had one of its lower burrs illegally removed with a chain saw. These are highly valued in order to make very decorative veneers from the marbled and knotted wood. A sign in the car park had asked for information about this activity.

Common Puffball

© Richard Smith

We heard the croaking of a Raven and the call of a Green Woodpecker and found several more fungi species, including King Alfred’s Cakes, Brown Rollrim, Porcelain Fungus and Brown Birch Bolete, before returning past the cricket ground and back to the car park. R&GP

Walk report: 19 September 2019 Isle of Wight

Black Bryony berries

A perfect calm sunny September day. Fifteen members met Angela at the Isle of Wight Ferry Terminal to go to Yarmouth and walk the old railway line to Freshwater. We saw a few birds from the ferry, a sunbathing Peregrine, Black-headed Gulls and a group of Black-tailed Godwits probing the mud. Overhead a wartime Supermarine Spitfire was being taken for a spin.

On arrival in Yarmouth we found a botanist’s paradise. We were able to brush up our acquaintance with seaside plants such as Cord-grass, Sea Mayweed, Rock Samphire, Sea Beet, Sea Purslane, Sea Aster (like a Michaelmas Daisy but with fatter fleshier leaves), Seablite and Common Sea-lavender. Further on we found Glasswort (Salicornia). The hedgerows were full of autumn glory, hips, haws, sloes, blackberries, Privet, elderberries, Black Bryony, this has been a wonderful year for berries.

Mute Swans and gulls

The railway line has a variety of habitats. Once into the oak wood we kept a look out for Red Squirrels but they weren’t coming out to see us. We found lichens, Evernia, Usnea, Parmelia and Xanthoria and huge clusters of Hart’s-tongue Fern and Male Ferns and Cherry and Knopper galls on the oaks. Wild Madder was an unusual find, as was Spurge-laurel, but less so Stinking Iris. Swallows and House Martins were gathering overhead preparing to migrate to Africa. Curlew, Lapwing, Grey Heron and Little Egret were feeding in the mudflats and our lunchtime entertainment was provided by a lady feeding a family of six Mute Swan cygnets and many gulls.

After lunch we took a detour to explore the Afton Marsh nature reserve. This is an area of fen and open water, and broadleaved woodland which is the floodplain for the River Yar. It was formerly a grazing marsh, but has now been taken over by reeds. In the woods we found many butterflies, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small White, Painted Lady and Peacock Butterfly and the open water was the hunting ground for the magnificent Emperor Dragonfly and other dragonflies and damselflies. Among the lush vegetation was Angelica, Hop, Alder and willows and a flock of Long-tailed Tits passed overhead. This loop made a very nice extra and after a very welcome cup of tea at the End of the Line cafe we made our way back to the ferry. AM. Photographs © Richard Coomber

Speckled Wood

Common Darter

Our first evening talk: 24 September 2019 Barn Owl Project by Kim Boog

The first evening talk (24 September 2019) of our 2019/20 season is:

BARN OWL PROJECT

by

KIM BOOG

An entertaining talk on these beautiful birds which are sadly becoming scarce. The speaker is from the Barn Owl Project Hampshire, and will bring along with her both Barn and Tawny Owls.

The indoor meetings are held at The Lymington Centre (McLellan Hall) on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month and commence at 7.15pm. Visitors are always welcome for a small charge (adults £5, juniors £1).

Walk report: 05 September 2019 Wilverley Plain

We set off from the Wilverley Pit car park on a bright but chilly morning to look, mainly, for smooth snakes on Wilverley Plain. We were led by Ben Limburn from  Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC). He and his associate Owen explained how these rare reptiles were being monitored on the plain. The volunteers use ‘refugia’ (basically a piece of corrugated material, in this case non-metallic roofing material) which the local reptiles use to shelter under. The refugia are black in colour which absorbs solar heat making them attractive to reptiles. All the refugia are labelled, but if you come across one in the forest it is advisable to leave them alone – the temptation is to lift them to see what is hiding underneath is great, but Adders also like them so be wary! 

Smooth Snake

Smooth Snakes are under many threats in this country, not least the weather. Britain is at the northern limits of these beautiful reptiles and our population is very important. In Europe they breed every year, but here it can be between 2 and 4 years between broods. They carry the eggs inside them, giving birth to live young. This means that gravid females must bask extensively to incubate the eggs inside them. This is a strategy adopted by the majority of native reptiles (Common Lizard, Slowworm and Adders all do the same). The main prey species of Smooth Snakes are other reptiles, they are not constrictors but just overpower their prey with their weight and strength.

Smooth Snake

Ben had all the refugia entered in a GPS handset, so he was able to lead us to them, though that is easier said than done and the chances of randomly finding them is quite slight! At the third refugium we found the snake pictured. A youngish female who seemed very relaxed at being handled, though we put her back as soon as we had all seen her so as not to cause too much stress. ARC always need volunteers, so if you fancy being one check out their website at www.arc-trust.org

On the Plain itself we also saw Wheatears and Stonechats, and we found Autumn Lady’s Tresses (a beautiful, but easily overlooked orchid) and Field Gentians.

The biscuits were provided by Mike and Mary, and I had a couple of Hobnobs. (Lucky you! – editor) (CR)

Photographs © Chris Robinson