Jack having trouble with the Cryptic

 It's always nice to see a Jack Snipe. I particularly enjoy visiting the marshy area just beyond the sea wall at Cwm Ivy, during the winter, where there's always a chance of brief flight views of a Jack Snipe amongst the Snipe. My previous views of them have more often than not been of birds flying away and so I was delighted to come across this rather bold individual, today, at the salt marsh in Neath.

In reality the bird wasn't that bold and behaved in a rather typical Jack Snipe fashion by keeping completely still while I approached. I imagine that to a predator flying overhead this bird would be fairly difficult to see, but it still needs a little bit of work on perfecting side profile concealment!

Giant Ichneumon

At 62mm from its head to the tip of its extraordinarily long ovipositor, Rhyssella approximator is one of our largest ichneumon wasps, a group of parasitoids for which little information is readily available, so I am grateful for help from Mark Pavett at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff for a provisional identification. I am hoping that Mark will in addition to confirming the id will provide some information on its status in Wales.

What I presume was the same same individual was seen hanging around a log pile while I set up a moth trap at Horton yesterday evening, but it was very active and I was unable to catch or photograph it. Therefore, I was very pleased to find it in the moth trap this morning especially as it compensated for the general paucity of moths in what turned out to be rather wet and blustery night on the coast. Thanks again to Cathy Dorran for letting me run the trap at their top location and to Mark and Sue at Port Eynon.

Between these two trapping locations I stopped to check the tube-light by the gate to the Burrows Caravan Park, where in addition to finding seven Feathered Ranuculus (more than what was in either moth trap!) there also a nice specimen of the harvestman Opilio saxatilis.

The knights are drawing in

The knights (Tricholoma) are a group of chunky toadstools, many of which have specific, mycorrhizal associations with trees. Here are some that are in our forests at the moment (all photos taken in Neath Port Talbot).

Tricholoma ustaloides

 Tricholoma ustaloides is a species associated with Beech (Fagus sylvatica) - the specimens above were photographed in the beech wood in Pelenna Forest. The slimy cap and the clear white area at the top of the stipe are characteristic features

Girdled Knight

The Girdled Knight (Tricholoma cingulatum) has a specific association with willows and may be found in willow scrub or in dune slacks (in association with Creeping Willow). It also forms a mycorrhizal association with Round-leaved Wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia). When this happens, the wintergreen roots become connected with the willow roots by the underground fungal mycelium.  In Neath Port Talbot it frequently grows with willows at the edge of conifer forests, where Round-leaved Wintergreen is also found occasionally. The Girdled Knight is so called because of the woolly girdle or ring on its stem, a good identification feature that will separate it from all the other Knights you are likely to find.

Birch Knight

The Birch Knight (Tricholoma fulvum) is a brown coloured toadstool, usually with yellow flesh. It grows commonly with birch but also with spruce and pine. Specimens that grow with pine usually have a paler (less yellow) flesh and have been named Tricholoma pseudonictitans by some mycologists. All forms exhibit the brown discolouration of their gills.

Tricholoma pessundatum

These specimens of Tricholoma pessundatum were found in the Pelenna Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) forest. It often grows in quite large groups. It has a brownish cap, dark in the centre but paler towards the edge where it is conspicuously spotted with dark, droplet-like marks. It is regarded as an uncommon, northern (mostly Scottish) species in Britain, but it may be more common than people realise in our spruce forests.

Larch Knight

The Larch Knight (Tricholoma psammopus) is, as its name suggests, a species found in larch forests (RIP!). It has a pale yellow cap and a stipe which is speckled near the top. I guess we'll be seeing less of this in the future.

Grey Knight

 The Grey Knight (Tricholoma terreum) is one of a group of confusing grey-capped species. It grows with pines - these were photographed in the Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) plantation on Foel Fynyddau. The felt-like texture of the cap is a good identification feature.

Sulphur Knight

Lastly, the remarkable Sulphur Knight (Tricholoma sulphureum) which is usually found in deciduous forests - specimens here photographed in Briton Ferry woods. Sulphur Knight is more or less yellow throughout but its most characteristic feature is the peculiar and unpleasant smell. This is difficult to describe, but some people liken it to coal gas, although I can often detect a sickly sweet mothballs odour as well.  

Migrant moth invasion at Horton

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

A light trap left overnight at Horton produced one of the best autumn assemblage of migrants I have recorded in Gower. In total 54 species were noted, 13 of which were migrants, these being: Diamond-back Moth 2, Rusty-dot Pearl 5, Rush Veneer 42, Palpita vitrealis 1, Vestal 9, Gem 1, Convolvulus Hawk-moth 1, Turnip Moth 2, Dark Sword-grass 8, Pearly Underwing 5, White-speck 1, Small Mottled Willow 1, Scarce Bordered Straw 2 and Silver Y 10. Very many thanks to Cathy Dorran for being so accommodating.

Palpita vitrealis

Scarce Bordered Straw

More fungi

The spruce forests in the Neath Valley are putting on a good show this year. Many of them have birch and willow mixed in with them, particularly at the edges where there can be a rich diversity of fungal species. Below, just a small sample of stuff seen in the Rheola area.

Collared Earthstar

Collared Earthstar (Geastrum triplex) is an iconic fungus. I love the way the arms unfold, then bend back to lift the fruiting body out of the ground.

Candlesnuff Fungus

Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon) is one of the most common fungi in our woodlands, usually growing on the wood of broadleaved (non-conifer) species.

White Fibrecap

White Fibrecap (Inocybe geophylla) is a small, poisonous species which often grows in groups. It also comes in a beautiful lilac form, now regarded as a separate species (Inocybe lilacina), which is common in Gower woodlands.

Lepiota pseudolilacea

Lepiota pseudolilacea is a type of Dapperling (it doesn't have a common name that I know of). It usually grows at the edges of the forest. It is similar to the Stinking Daperling (Lepiota cristata), which is much more common and differs in having a strong, unpleasant smell. 

Variable Webcap

The Webcaps (Cortinarius) are a very large group of species, with over 100 species in Britain. Variable Webcap (Cortinarius anomalus) is one of the more common representatives. The young gills usually have a violet tint. In the photograph you can see the cobweb like veil which covers the gills before the cap expands. This veil is called a cortina, and is a feature of this group of fungi. Hence the name, Cortinarius. In older specimens the cortina disappears and the gills become dark brown in colour due to the production of brown spores. As the common name suggests, this is a very variable species and may in fact be a collection of similar species. It often grows with birch at the edges of conifer forests. If you walk or bike along the forestry roads, your bound to see it sooner or later. 

Fungi on stumps and trunks

An assortment of fungi seen in the last week growing on stumps and around the bases of tree trunks. 

Shaggy Scalycap (Pholiota squarrosa) is a common toadstool that grows in clusters at the base of living and dead trees.

Shaggy Scalycap

Alder Scalycap (Pholiota alnicola) is less common but may be found in wet woddland in association with Alder, Willows or Birch.

Alder Scalycap

Sticky Scalycap (Pholiota gummosa) occasionally turns up along forestry roads, usually growing on discarded fragments of timber (sometimes buried).

Sticky Scalycap

Two of the most common species that cluster on stumps and fallen branches are Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare) and Sheathed Woodtuft (Kuehneromyces mutabilis).

Sulphur Tuft

Sheathed Woodtuft

Lastly, the unmistakable Porcelain Fungus (Oudemansiella mucida), which is usually found on Beech - showing well  in Briton Ferry Woods this week.

Porcelain Fungus

oil beetles

at this time of year?

At the BWARS conference this weekend a very interesting talk on Oil Beetles by John Walters:

http://johnwalters.co.uk/research/oil-beetles.php

pointed out that there are up to 3 species around at this time of year, of restricted distribution possibly because they are nocturnal, on limestone grassland in areas with lots of solitary bees. If anyone is feeling adventurous it might be worth bludering around in the dark with a head torch. He pointed out that some he has found live in very small patches so best of luck. To save me writing any more, details will be found in these sheets from buglife as well as on John's website:

http://www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Oil%20beetle%20survey%20results%202011.pdf

http://www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Oil%20Beetle%20management%20web.pdf