Category: David

Jelly ear fungi on a fallen branch in Hawthorn Wood. Most commonly found, as here, growing on elder.

One of the buzzards with a nest somewhere along the Tettenhall ridge, which can be seen most mornings circling over the Barley Field using thermals to gain height to go hunting.

More scarlet elf cups, fungi which bring a splash of bright colour to late winter as it heads towards the start of spring. These were growing in Hawthorn Wood – one set right by the main path through the wood, others clearly visible over the fence from the Railway Walk.

Fungi growing in a crack in the pavement by the side of Compton Road, look like they might be the spring orange peel fungus, aka golden cup.

Reasons for doubt: golden cup is originally a north American species. It has been recorded in the old world, in Japan as well as Europe. But British records are all from distant parts of England: East Anglia or the south coast, mainly around the New Forest.

But the most likely confusion is with the commoner orange peel fungus, which is definitely not the one pictured here. That one has a pale convex surface (like orange pith) whereas this is concolourous (the same colour all over) like the American species. The orange peel fungus fruiting bodies appear in autumn or early winter. These came up earlier this month, just in time for a spring fungus.

At the moment the fruiting bodies are tiny. I’ll try to keep a watch to see if they get larger to get a better view.

Squirrel watiching me as it rested on the bough of one of the trees in West Park, knowing it was high enough to be safe.

Spring is finally arriving when the lesser celandines begin to flower. These were the first I noticed this year, in the perhaps favoured climate beside the Severn at Worcester.