Monday 24 January 2011

Monday 24th January 2011


The corner orchard was being pruned when I arrived at work this morning and then the windbreaks were flayed so as I expected it was pretty bird less by lunchtime.  The pruning has also involved knocking the apples from the trees that the Waxwings were feeding on so I suspect they won't return.  I made my way to Ditton Court Quarry, picking up 5x Siskins in the alders just N of Ditton Lab.  The quarry was as usual; Fieldfares, a lone Redwing, a couple of Bullfinches, vocal GS Woodpecker, Jays and Magpies and 'charming' Goldfinches.


I noted what looked to be 14x Bee Orchid rosettes in a part of the quarry I've not seen them before and also an interesting bracket fungus, but I have no idea what it is (Greenie?).


The tree it was growing on was covered with lichen, moss, fungus and bugs - a micro world.

2 comments:

Greenie said...

Adam ,
I am positive that your orchid rosettes are not Bee , much too large and much too early .
If you look at the leaves , they are spotted , and given the time of year , I think they are Early Purple Orchids-Orchis mascula .
What a brilliant find , you will probably have to wait till mid-late April to see them in flower , but it will be well worth it .
As for your bracket fungi , from here I would say it was Blushing Bracket-Daedaleopsis , so called because a fresh specimen , when rubbed on the white underside , readily bruises red/pink -blushing . If you pass it again , get a shot of the underside to confirm .

Adam said...

Thanks Greenie

I'll get a pic of the underside of that bracket fungus and post it. Looking at the Orchids again, it seems the spots are necrotic spots/lesions rather than phenotypic spots. I'll keep an eye on them and see what develops!

Cheers

Adam