More autumn fungi.

    Shaggy Inkcaps. Photo. John Elliott

 Shaggy Inkcap, Coprinus comatus, a common species, has occured for a second year on the way down to Ashton. This is regarded as one of the most edible species while the gills are still young and white. However it can be confused with the very similar Common Inkcap, Coprinus altramentarius which must never be consumed with a meal accompanied by alcohol, as it will cause vomiting and palpitations. The fruit bodies contain a substance similar to Antabuse, a drug used in aversion therapy for alcoholics.

My Cuckoo.

   Cuach Torc.

  The latest bulletin from BTO gives disturbing and puzzling news of my Cuckoo, Cuach Torc.

" By mid July Cuach Torc had made good progress south east to the Peloponnese region of Greece. However after a couple of weeks here, he turned north again, and spent August in Albania. His next move took us completely by surprise as he flew almost 1,000 Km north to Germany! After a week in the Düben Heath in eastern Saxony-Anhalt, Torc has once again set off. Over the last week he has flown 900 Km south west from Germany into France and is now close to the town of Saint-Bonnet in south-western France. What will Torc's next move be?"

 

 

Chicken of the Woods.

 Glowing bright orange on the Church Green today I noticed one of our most attractive bracket fungi, a Sulphur Polypore, Laetiporus sulphurus. otherwise known as  the 'Chicken of the Woods'

   Chicken of the Woods       Photo: John Elliott.

 

 

 

 

 

This fungus is said to grow on living trees, so presumably there is a bit of life left in the old tree stump.
 Classified as edible, it is said to taste like chicken, hence the name.

Poison Risk.

 

  Hemlock Water Dropwort Roots.

A considerable amount of Hemlock Water Dropwort has been cleared from the stream and left on the road side opposite. This is Britain's most poisones plant, and has recently proved fatal to a dog in Lyme Regis. A lamb was poisoned in the village last year, but thankfully survived. 

The roots have led to human deaths elsewhere, it being mistaken for wild parsnip which it closely resembles.

Do not let your dog eat the roots