Lots of fungi in the woods this morning

There were lots of interesting fungi in Sydenham Hill Woods this morning, as well as many Long tailed-tits, Aegithalos caudatus, described by the RSPB as :

"easily recognisable with its distinctive colouring, a tail that is bigger than its body, and undulating flight. Gregarious and noisy residents, long-tailed tits are most usually noticed in small, excitable flocks of about 20 birds. Like most tits, they rove the woods and hedgerows, but are also seen on heaths and commons with suitable bushes"

These ones certainly fit the description of noisy and gregarious, I saw them very close up, enough to appreciate how cute they are. Not my image below,  but this is exactly what they looked like, almost fluffy like chicks:

 Long-tailed tit, from http://songbirds-slaughter.org.uk/

I also saw a Coal Tit, Periparus ater, I was looking for the Goldcrest  (oops, or was it Firecrest?)  pair we were told have been seen in the woods recently, but no luck, these are clearly very discreet birds. I saw a very russety red headed critter which could have been a tree sparrow but I am told they are rare now, so maybe not, but I can't see anything similar in my book. I also saw what I think was a wren (pale grey) and more nuthatches, I think there are lots of Redwing around but would need to check with people who really know their stuff. I also saw beautiful Blue Tits, green parakeets (they are everywhere in South London), Jays and very fat Wood Pigeons.

There were fungi galore, the image below, I think might be Common Bonnet, Mycena galericulata, or Mycena inclinata, because of the tooth-edged caps,  failing that glistening inkcap, Coprinellus micaceus? Though the shape isn't really right. I think Common Bonnet, though I dont know what 'meal' smells like, their suppossed smell,  these just smell 'mushroomy',  maybe I need to develop more skill in distinguishing the subtle olfactory features of fungi?





Below, LOTS of this in the wood today, Orange peel fungus? Jelly Rot? It didn't feel the same as the jelly ear we looked at on the walk last week,it  seemed drier and much more orange, Jelly ear fungus is more pink, flesh coloured. Chicken of the Wood would be exciting, but it isn't really clustered together that densely, I think it's  Jelly Rot Fungus, Merulius tremellosus, the colour range seems to go from white to orange, it seems too rough for Orange Peel fungus.

Above, has a much squarer nipple shape, but I guess it could still be a Mycena of some sort, some pictures on-line do have the same nipple which is not present in the other ones I mention in this blog. Identification of LBJs (little brown jobs)  is a challenge...