Flashback

On this date in 1980 I was out birding at Pipers Vale and observed c350 Tree Sparrows.  

We can thank intensive farming practices for the decline of many bird populations.

Low Water Count

Thursday 20th December 2012

The weather today was dreadful, certainly not the best conditions in which to count wading birds.  By the end of the count, three hours later, I was soaked.  My section to count was between Cliff Quay and Bridge Wood.  I counted just over 3,000 Knot, the highest count so far this winter and there were over 1,000 Dunlin, which is also a good count these days.   However, Black-tailed Godwit and wildfowl were absent.  The Peregrine was on his usual perch high up on the bridge and there was a Sparrowhawk at Pipers Vale.

Arctic Redpoll

This morning I was birding along Aldeburgh.  Out a sea there were a few Red-throated Divers but on the beach I had cracking views of a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll.

Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll

Trimley Reserve

Last night unwanted visitors tore off the shutters and broke into the Visitor Centre.

Mushrooms.....

Mushrooms can be found all year round but it is the autumn and early winter periods that are the best times for finding them.   Beech woods are without doubt a very rich habitat for fungi. Pine forests, especially where trees have been felled many years ago, are also productive. However, mushrooms can be found almost anywhere, for example, playing fields, meadows and parks.

Chicken of the Woods

Mushroom hunting is a fun outdoor activity for all the family.   There are many varieties, shapes, sizes and colours.  Many of the fungi species have interesting common names such as Chicken of the Woods or Plumbs and custard.

Plumbs and Custard

By breaking down dead organic material, they continue the cycle of nutrients through ecosystems. In addition, most vascular plants and trees could not survive without the benefit of their symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi that inhabit their roots and supply essential nutrients.

Sulphur Tuft

Some species of fungi provide numerous drugs (such as penicillin and other antibiotics), foods like mushrooms and the bubbles in bread, champagne, and beer.

Experts say that there are up to 15,000 known species in the UK, but many more remain unknown to science.

More than 1000 insect and other invertebrate species depend on fungi during their life cycle, using them for food, shelter and breeding - many could not exist without them.

Beef Steak

 Codes of practice:

·           Look and enjoy their beauty, take photographs rather than specimens.

·          Leave fungi for others to enjoy

·         Do not disturb leaf litter in the search for immature fungi, or you are likely to destroy many immature specimens and perhaps kill their mycelium as well as plants and other creatures that share the same habitat

·         Be aware that some very rare fungus species are protected by law and must not be picked or their habitat disturbed