Sunday 27 September 2009

Magic Moors and Mushrooms

We set off towards misty Brinscall Moors and what a treat: the moors were once again bouncing with pipits and larks ascending everywhere (probably migratory). A dozen crows were in a playful mood tumbling and twisting in the air just like their cousins, the chough. The raptors were having a hard time though: a buzzard was being mobbed by crows as was a sparrow hawk, and the kestrel was being set upon by three brave pipits.

The moors were in that in between phase when the heather is fading, berries reddening, rushes turning orange and the leaves are mostly still on the trees. A time when almost anything can be seen, including two snipe which I don't often see there.

Then I set off along The Goit to explore the fungi. Fly agaric (above) was plentiful and all stages of growth. The Goit is a watercourse flanked by birch, oak and some alder.

I'm a complete beginner to identifying mushrooms but here goes... I think the one above is yellow-cracked bolete. (Click on each image to enlarge.)

The next one is a woolly milkcap or bearded milkcap.

The one above is a cep, I think.

A blushing bracket on a silver birch?

Common earthball.

Under and over view of a false death cap (Amanita citrina) in one of its phases.

I've got several more photos to share so come back later in the week to see them too.

7 comments:

holdingmoments said...

I'm no good with fungi ID, far too many for me lol
Love the pictures though, and the description walking across the moors.

Jinksy said...

What a fascinating collection. Makes me wish I knew more about them...

Duxbury Ramblers said...

I am useless with mushroom IDs, but I like to look and photgraph them, there are a lot coming out at the moment.
Some nice photos looking forward to the rest :)

Crafty Green Poet said...

Sounds like a great fungi foray. My partner is the fungi expert, but your id's seem good to me and your photo of the fly agaric is excellent...

Caroline Gill said...

We saw what I think was a large Fly Agaric on the island of Raasay off Skye recently. I hadn't seen this species for years, and yet I seem to recall seeing it quite often in Kent in my youth. Must post the pic. on my blog in due course ... I've been away and am running way behind! Thank you for your fungi ID - really helpful. Do you think the fungi is particularly early this year? Perhaps due to the wet summer...

The Weaver of Grass said...

I do love fungi Carol - you certainly found a good mix there. I think this is a lovely time of year and over this side of the Pennines we have had some really lovely weather. Have a good week.

lunardancer said...

The first mushroom looks so pretty. It looked more like the cacti flowers I've seen once. But beyond it, I particularly like the way you described your walk along the moors.

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