Tag: Common

December 31st – Remember the peculiar fungus I found a few weeks ago on Clayhanger Common – the Rosy Earthstar? Well, today I passed the same spot again and stopped to have a scout around. It seems that there were a whole bunch of them here – now the leaves have gone and the undergrowth is less dense, it can be seen there were at least 25 of these remarkable fungi.

Interesting too to see how they go over, seemingly with the ‘petals’ of the star rotting away first.

Hope we get them again next year and this wasn’t just a fluke. I’d love to watch them grow.

December 12th – A wet, horrible day, but a remarkable, surprising find – a rosy earthstar.

This curious thing, looking like plasticine or glazed ceramic, is a fungus like toadstools. It’s relatively rare, and I’ve never seen one before. It’s in a bunch of about 5 in various stages of life on a small patch of CLayhanger Common, and I spotted it entirely by chance.

A great find on a very unpleasant day.

November 28th – back in Brownhills later that afternoon, during a respite in the rain I headed to get some shopping in. On my way I noted that the lower meadow on Clayhanger Common was flooding and returning to it’s normal winter boggy state, which it’s designed to do. From the Pier Street bridge, I regarded the hardy, wind-buffeted canoeists with admiration.

For a couple of seasons, I wondered why so many craft had been motored at Silver Street at various times. It looks like there’s my answer – and now the Canal and River Trust have clocked that people are mooring here and are after money.

Let’s hope they use the proceeds to clear their marina up… it’s in a terrible state.

October 25th – The fungi are still going strong. On the common I found plenty of fly agaric at various ages, from globular and spotty fresh young caps to plate-like washed out pink and smooth. I also found a shroom I didn’t recognise, and had to look up. This is certainly a cortinarius, either cinnamon or bicolour. They’re a lovely chestnut, almost chocolate colour, and the gills are fascinating.

I’ve never seen them before and my big book of fungi says they’re fairly rare, so I’m quite pleased spot them.

October 25th – This momma deer and her two calves – a yearling and this year’s – were happily browsing on the common when I spotted them. Nervous, all but the little one hid for a while, then braved my camera.

Lovely creatures, in good health, by the looks. I loved the colours in the youngest’s coat.

October 10th – A spin around Brownhills on a grey afternoon on errands and to get some air. I wasn’t feeling too well and the grey autumn day wasn’t helping my mood.

By my cyclic antidepressant worked, and a ride cheered me up. Nice views of the Common, and still, this late, flowers and colour.

Can I really face another winter? I guess so, but I really don’t fancy it this year.

October 8th – I was right about the rain and the fungi. On Clayhanger common in the morning, pleated ink caps, sometimes known as the Japanese parasol. These delicate, paper like caps only last a day, and 24 hours later, there will be no trace. They appear straight after heavy rain, their spores lying dormant until triggered by nature.

The fly agaric are also going for it. In Pleck on the canal bank, a nice crop which will surely proliferate now. Such lovely fairy-tale toadstools.

October 7th – I was right about the rain and fungus. At the weekend I bemoaned the lack of interesting fungi, particularly fly agaric, and suspected the dearth was due to the dry weather.

Cue the rains of the last couple of days, and hey presto! – A huge forest of glistening ink caps has popped up on Clayhanger Common, and the orange peel fungus I spotted a week ago has, after spending days dormant, opened out.

Rain may be an annoyance for me, but it has been needed for a few weeks.

September 28th – Quite a find for me, and only the second time I’ve ever seen it in the wild: orange peel fungus, seemingly growing well on Clayhanger Common, near where I saw the glistening ink caps last week. 

This ascomycete is not particularly rare, and mycologists may scoff at my enthusiasm for it, but this delicate ad small fungi is hard to spot. I’m pleased I found it.

August 28th – On an early afternoon run home from work, a beautiful patch of thistles gone to seed on Clayhanger Common. Like fellow fluff-mongers Rosebay Willowherb, they fill the air with small, wind-borne seeds often called ‘fairies’ by generations of local kids.

Also good food for small bits who will dine on these to their hearts content.