Sunday 13th Nov 2011 - Devil's Spittleful & Rifle Range

Today, as the sun was shinning and there were clear blue skies (I haven't seen one of those for a while!), me and Bev decided to do a fungi walk around the 'Devil's Spittleful & Rifle Range' nature reserve which is just a couple of miles from where we live.

The reserve, between Kidderminster and Bewdley, is jointly managed by the Trust (which owns the Devil’s Spittleful), and Wyre Forest District Council (which owns the Rifle Range), both of which have been designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest.  The site is one of the few extensive areas of lowland heath remaining in Worcestershire.  In fact there are two more areas nearby at Burlish Top and Hartlebury Common.

We undertook our foray and had a really interesting array of fungi...although I am yet to name about 50% of them.  Ones I did identify included Common Puffball, Fly Agaric, Slippery Jack, Sulphur Tuft, Turkey Tail and Velvet Shank.

There were good numbers of woodland birds flitting around the trees near the Spittleful - a sand stone outcrop named after a local legend in which the Devil dumped a spade full (spittleful) of rock there.  These birds included Coal Tits, Goldcrests, Nuthatch and Treecreeper.

All in all it was a very enjoyable afternoon out with the better half...and those blue skies really do lift the spirit!

For more info on the reserve please click on the below link:

Rifle Range NR



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Slippery Jack (Suillus luteus)



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Fly Agaric (Amanita Muscaria)



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Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)



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Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes)
 


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4 comments:

  1. It really does make a differnece with some sun Jase :-) Nice fugi shots, especially the Fly Agaric

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  2. Aint that the truth Warren! Cheers mate

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  3. I agree, great shots, Jason. I`m still waiting for Velvet Shank to emerge up here.

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  4. Thanks Dean. It's not a fungi I was familiar with prior to this but it certainly a looker!

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