Just a quick blog from me this week, as usual we've been quite hectic with multiple tasks - and that's with RSPB volunteer Tom helping us out on a daily basis! With the best intentions to finish the boardwalk screening last Thursday, we unfortunately ran out of reed bundles with 12 sections left to fill. Katherine, Tom and Dave were out yesterday cutting some more reed scallops in Brandon Fen, with bundling support from volunteer Karen. We've moved away from cutting the main reedbeds now, given how quickly spring seems to be progressing - I heard my first bittern 'grunting' yesterday in New Fen North reedbed. Not quite full booming, but six good practise grunts! I also spent some time in Botany Bay yesterday and birdsong was everywhere. I was particularly pleased to pick out the calls of two treecreepers and managed to spot one of them shimmying up a nearby tree. Anyway, I digress - back to reed screening! With another morning of cutting and bundling tomorrow, we will aim to fully and finally complete the screening in the afternoon. The photos below show our progress last week.
Photo credit: Ali Blaney - view from hide pontoon with new screening in place
Photo credit: Ali Blaney - volunteers Roger H, Robert and Phil busy at work
Work continues with the raised plant beds in front of the visitor centre, the bog/marsh bed is now lined, full of peat soil and ready to plant up. We're hoping to progress the pond bed tomorrow afternoon after completing the screening. It will be very exciting when we get to the watery stages and planting stages of these plant beds!
There is a bit of brick work to do for the pond bed once it is lined, which volunteer Roger B will be doing for us. His bricks are ready and waiting for him and on a closer inspection this afternoon, Katherine spotted these rather lovely fungi growing nearby:
Photo credit: Ali Blaney - fungus growing near a pile of bricks
The best option I could come up with was large cup fungus - it's growing on the ground but potentially where sawdust and wood chippings are / have been so this seems to fit. However, in my mushroom guide it says the season for this fungus is early summer to autumn! Is it an unseasonal large cup fungus or a different species altogether.....does anyone have any clues?