Today's Wildlife Encounter

[Alf]

Curlews, Lapwings and Red Grouse chicks out on the fells this evening.

[Latege]

Lots of swifts and house martins over various sections of Bolton-Bury canal yesterday lunchtime.

[that_fjell_guy]

Great week in Wales near Dolgelleau. stayed at a cottage there. Saw allsorts just in, and around the garden!! saw first Pied Flycatchers
Also Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Dippers, Bullfinch, Willow Warbler, Chif-chaff(...first time we IDed them!) and Bank Voles just out of our bedroom window!! All that and walking, running and cycling too!! Ace!

[cyclops]

a little help please, identifying the fungi in the photos on my latest blog: http://runningdelights.blogspot.co.u...hill-reps.html
I've made a guess but wouldn't trust my fungi identification skills in the slightest. if it is what I think, has anyone cooked with it? what's it like?

[noel]

We visited the excellent Rodley Nature Reserve over the weekend.

Sedge warbler and reed bunting (we were told by a local who seemed to know what he was talking about).

My eldest also found a broken egg, which the very helpful man in the centre identified as a tufted duck egg (possibly).

Worth a visit, if you like that sort of thing: http://www.rodleynaturereserve.org/

[wharfeego]

a little help please, identifying the fungi in the photos on my latest blog: http://runningdelights.blogspot.co.u...hill-reps.html
I've made a guess but wouldn't trust my fungi identification skills in the slightest. if it is what I think, has anyone cooked with it? what's it like?

Chicken of the woods?

[Alf]

a little help please, identifying the fungi in the photos on my latest blog: http://runningdelights.blogspot.co.u...hill-reps.html
I've made a guess but wouldn't trust my fungi identification skills in the slightest. if it is what I think, has anyone cooked with it? what's it like?

Apparently it tastes like chicken

[Splatcher]

Chicken of the woods?

Pretty sure it is: it should be bright yellow, which isn't that clear from the photos. I've eaten it a couple of times, although I got indigestion afterwards the 2nd time, not sure why. It's good though.

[Bartholomew of Basildon]

I'd say Chicken-of-the Woods too. Lots of it about at the moment, but I wouldn't eat anything identified from a photo posted on an internet forum by people I don't know! You don't get many chances with fungi, and there have been some deaths and cases of serious permanent organ damage lately even to people who consider themselves fungus experts. (I'm a Countryside Ranger in an ancient woodland btw, but wouldn't consider myself expert enough at fungi ID to eat much of it - maybe that should be 'any of it'?)

[cyclops]

Chicken of the woods?

that was my thought

Apparently it tastes like chicken

ha ha! don't all things not on the 'normal' consumption list?!

Pretty sure it is: it should be bright yellow, which isn't that clear from the photos. I've eaten it a couple of times, although I got indigestion afterwards the 2nd time, not sure why. It's good though.

it was bright yellow. wouldn't have picked the 2 bits I saw...it's a common dog walking spot and they're at the right height to be...'watered'.

I'd say Chicken-of-the Woods too. Lots of it about at the moment, but I wouldn't eat anything identified from a photo posted on an internet forum by people I don't know! You don't get many chances with fungi, and there have been some deaths and cases of serious permanent organ damage lately even to people who consider themselves fungus experts. (I'm a Countryside Ranger in an ancient woodland btw, but wouldn't consider myself expert enough at fungi ID to eat much of it - maybe that should be 'any of it'?)

thanks BofB; I'd never risk eating any fungi unless a known-to-me-and/or-trusted person said it was safe. and never via the internet. I'd need the person doing the identifying to be stood there with me...and try some themselves probably
I'd love to learn more about foraging but it takes years to gather the knowledge, and good people to go out with. too many things could be mis-identified and its just not worth it. until I know more I'll stick with wild garlic, blackberries and bilberries.