Fungi at Old Lodge NR, Ashdown Forest, East Sussex ... 22nd September 2011

What was meant to be a birding trip turned into a fungi foray.

Negative news of the Long-toed Stint at nearby Weirwood Reservoir today, so Sue and I decided not to bother to join the throng there. Twitching isn't our thing anyway and, as rare as that stint may be, looking at a tiny wader at such huge range didn't really appeal to us.

Our old favourite, Old Lodge Nature Reserve should be far more peaceful - and so it was - too damned peaceful!

Six Stonechats, two Common Redstarts, six-plus Chiffchaffs, six Great Spotted Woodpeckers and several small flocks of Siskins overhead were seen on our way round the reserve. A Raven, a Woodlark and two Nuthatches were all heard but, best of all, Sue had six Common Crossbills over the car park on our return to the car. I missed them as I was photographing a fungus at the time! That's life!


Stonechats

Six Fallow Deer ran across the path in front of us, too quick for a photo though.

The heather on the reserve was in flower adding superb splashes of colour, although it is probably just past its best now.



The number of species of fungi seen was quite amazing and it will take me days to try and identify them all but below are a few photos.


Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria


Grey-spotted Amanita Amanita Excelsa


Blusher Amanita rubescens var. rubescens


Unidentified



Tawny Grisette Amanita fulva


Unidentified


Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare



Bay Bolete Boletus badius



Russula nitida



Yet another Grey-spotted Amanita Amanita excelsa



Lactarius sp.

Graham & Sue