September 2020 – Warwickshire Wildlife/Nature

Please refer to the Introduction Page to understand the context behind the monthly photographs.

Birds

Goldfinch

One from a flock of over 25 that landed in the garden one morning.

Animals

At last a half decent photograph of a Roe Deer

Field Vole

The Field Vole with a population of 75 million is one of the UK's most common mammals. Hidden among the vegetation of grassland, heathland and moorland, it is not as easily spotted as the similar bank vole.

Butterflies

Comma Butterfly

Green-veined White Butterfly

Dragonflies

Common Darter Male

Common Darter Male & Female

Fungi

Fungi of Orbilia alnea & Mollisia cinerea

Wet rot fungus on exposed tree root

Resupinate Fungus (unidentified)

Fairy Ring Champignon part of the circle

Fairy Ring Champignon

Nectria peziza on old stump top

Fairy Ring Champignon (Marasmius oreades)

Parasol Mushroom

Nectria peziza on old stump top

Shaggy Ink Cap

Parasol Mushroom

Orange Jelly Fungus

Slime Mould

Lycogala epidendrum Slime Mould

While taking this photograph of these grey (a few day earlier orange) Lycogala epidendrum (Slime mould) I noticed a tiny splash of yellow near the white patch on the left hand side. The yellow cups are the Fungus Orbilia alnea and in the background are the tiny grey cups of the Fungus Mollisia cinerea. The former being about 2mm diameter and the later 1mm diameter. See photo on Fungi section above.

Slime moulds in fact do not form part of the fungal kingdom. The nearly 500 species form a group of organisms distinct from all other forms of life.

This link give a better idea of how Slime moulds function -https://youtu.be/GY_uMH8Xpy0

Galls

Oak Marble Gall

Rose Bedeguar (Diplolepis Rosae) Gall

Insects

Juniper Shield Bug

Bluebottle Fly

The Juniper Shield Bug's traditional foodplant is the Juniper tree with the larvae feeding on Juniper berries. It has also adapted to use Lawson Cypress trees. It was formerly scarce and restricted to southern Juniper woodlands but in recent years it has become common across southern and central England as a result of the widespread garden planting of Juniper and Cypress trees. Recent discoveries in northern England and Scotland suggest that the range of the species is extending. The Juniper Shield Bug overwinters as an adult, emerging to mate in the early spring with new adults found from late August onwards.

Spiders web with morning dew

Lichen

Lichen are recorded at each new OS Grid location (hover for Grid Ref). They are then entered on the British Lichen Society spreadsheet and submitted for their Warwickshire VC38 Lichen database and Lichen mapping.