Nature Notes for January 2024

Fungi

• ​Jeliy ear fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) found on a dead tree branch in the composting area.

Jelly ear fungus. Photo by Bridget Cook.

Flowers

• Giant snowdrops coming into flower in the Hollygon and along the Meeting House border in The Tasting Garden
• Winter flowering honeysuckle (The Tasting Garden)
• Native hellebores (The Tasting Garden)
• Mahonia (The Tasting Garden)
• Yellow crocus starting to come up in The Tasting Garden, particularly the early February flowering species fruscotinctus crocus with outer petals striped purple
• Winter aconites and snowdrops starting to appear in the Copper Beech Garden

Birds

• Two herring gulls.  They walk along the top of the Meeting House Lane wall before flying down into the road to grab some treasure. 
• A large flock of long-tailed tits.

Herring gulls waiting to swoop. Photo by Clive Cox.