Shiny black cramp balls, growing on a felled log by one of the footpaths at Perton. Also called King Alfred’s cakes, coal fungus or carbon balls. A common bracket fungus growing on dead wood.
Goldfinch feeding, Northycote
Goldfinch busy feeding from one of the bird seed holders at Northycote Farm. A blue tit also paid a flying visit.
Robins pincushion galls remains
Last autumn female gall wasps laid their eggs in a rosebush by a footpath on Northycote Farm. The insect larvae secrete chemicals which cause the wood to grow around them in a tangle of filaments which form a protective cushion. The galls have now done their work. The remains now hang on the bush, looking like small balls of rotting fabric. Look closely, and the surface of each gall has several small round holes where the insect has escaped from the plant’s protection.
Spreading elf cup, Perton
Perton, a mid-February visit, a lone scarlet elf cup fungus growing at the edge of the woodland by the footpath by the Pear and Partridge pub.
Another visit ten days later (last picture in the set). The site was now strewn with logs and twigs from a tree brought down by the winter’s storms. Under this detritus, the lone elf cup now looks like three – more likely broken in pieces by a branch falling on in.
Ice, reeds, Northycote
A frosty day early last month. This year’s new growing reeds emerging from the pond which had a thin cover of ice. Bright sun, low on the horizon, lighting everything dramatically.
Bluetits, fat ball feeder. Northycote
On my most recent visit to the bird feeder area at Northycote Farm, the fat balls were top draw, often used by several bluetits at the same time.