Monday 24 February 2014

Gap in the rain

I decided that enough was enough and went out to look for some Celandine. The most likely local location is near a sheltered stream, and sure enough, the first buds were just visible:

Lesser Celandine bud
The ditch is also home to a wide range of liverworts, mosses and ferns, but they will keep for a few weeks.

I did, however, spot this Scarlet Elf Cup - Sarcoscypha austriaca - just beside some Celandines:

Sarcoscypha austriaca - Scarlet Elf Cup
It seemed strangely out of season, but the Fungal Records Database shows that spring sightings are quite common..

Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage is also ready to flower:

Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage
Just a reminder that my new database is up and running, with around 20% of my species illustrated. You can find it at donegalwildlife.altervista.org

Late news.

On 2nd July 2010, I showed a photograph of what I thought was a sawfly larva. Turns out it's the caterpillar of the wonderfully-named micromoth Schreckensteinia festaliella. Thanks to Linsepatron of Denmark for that.

5 comments:

Gill said...

Yes, I saw my first celandines yesterday too. Love the scarlet elf cup - I've never seen it in the flesh.

Ian Andrews said...

Stuart

WAB seems to be down, but if you e-mail me on syrphus@hotmail.co.uk I'll pass on a few IDs.

Ian

Honeyoak said...

This is a fantastic blog/resource! I will be busy reading your archives as well as reading your new posts from now on.
Kim

Stuart said...

Welcome, Honeyoak. I have also been keeping an eye on your blog since Angus mentioned it to me. Your work makes my 5m x 10m veggie plot look rather small.

Ian, thanks for updates/amendments. I have added/corrected where appropriate.

Honeyoak said...

I really appreciated the id for the Geastrum fungus, Thank you.