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James Common

@commonbynature.bsky.social

930 followers 240 following 5.5K posts

Botanist & biological recorder. Joint BSBI recorder for N'Northumberland, urban plant lover & fledgling fernaholic. Partial to grasses, Galanthus & old woods. 🐞 Senior Naturalist @nenature.bsky.social 🍃 commonbynature.com

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Reposted by James Common

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 2h

This morning I revisited the site where I found the Date Waxcaps (Hygrocybe spadicea) to take a better look and get more photos. There are more than I thought - they're well camouflaged - perhaps a dozen, some still just emerging brown bumps. Still buzzing from the find. 😍💚 #fungi @sewbrec.org.uk

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Reposted by James Common

John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d

Plymouth Thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus) at (where else?) Plymouth Hoe and Plymouth Thistle selfie with @janettem34.bsky.social on the way back from the SW. Thanks to @andymus.bsky.social for the quality gen. Three plants in flower in this area #wildflowerhour

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 3d

A few more #waxcaps, this time from a rummage about Morpeth where we found Butter, Glutinous, Parrot and Blackening 🍄

James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 3d

Scarlet Caterpillarclub (Cordyceps militaris) growing among the Waxcaps on today's wander. #fungi

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 4d

Officially waxcapped out... 😬🍄

I’m an absolute beginner when it comes to #fungi, but think we managed eight species today along Hadrian's Wall including Snowy, Crimson, Scarlet, Meadow, Parrot, Golden, Butter and Vermilion Waxcaps.

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 11d

Chuffed to stumble across a troop of rather pristine Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) on today's woodland wander. Right on time for #UKFungusDay! 🍄

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 12d

Pavement Parsley! Petroselinum crispum growing from the base of a wall during yesterday's @nenature.bsky.social Weed Walk. #pavementplants

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 12d

Guernsey Fleabane (Erigeron sumatrensis) is a relatively new arrival in Newcastle but already seems to be replacing Canadian Fleabane in several parts. Wonder when the others will arrive! #urbanflora

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Reposted by James Common

BSBI Botany @bsbibotany.bsky.social · 14d

Our annual membership special offer opens today!
Join us this month & you'll enjoy 15 months of membership benefits for the price of 12.
Those benefits are so numerous & fabulous you'll have to head over here to see them all:
bsbipublicity.blogspot.com/2025/10/bsbi...
Then join us! bsbi.org/join-us

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 16d

A quick detour on the way home today turned up a new species for me in Rigid Buckler-fern (Dryopteris submontana). No need for a hand lens to see those glands! #ferns

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 17d

A nice supporting cast of commoner ferns on today's wander, including heaps of Lemon-scented Fern (Oreopteris limbosperma). Matt trying and failing to be patient with me... 😅

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 17d

Couldn't resist a later season visit to see the North East's only remaining population of Forked Spleenwort (Asplenium septentrionale). #ferns

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 18d

Collared Earthstar (Geastrum triplex) today in Jesmond Dene 🍄

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 19d

Nope, for once! Natural morph and one of those that might be split out in due course (I think) 😬

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Reposted by James Common

BSBI Botany @bsbibotany.bsky.social · 19d

Coming soon: 'Wild Roses of Great Britain and Ireland'.
This latest title, no.26 in the series of #BSBIHandbooks for tricky plant groups, has just gone to the printers!
Available for #BSBImembers to pre-order now at the discount price of £16 (vs RRP £25).
Sample pages here:
bsbi.org/bsbi-handboo...

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 19d

An interesting fern from today's wander in Throckley Dene - Dryopteris borreri morph. foliosum. A great big untidy looking thing with crimped pinnules. Certainly stood out! #ferns

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Reposted by James Common

Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 21d

Marginal veins of Nymphaea alba (left) and Nymphaea candida (right) for comparison.. Veins of candida join to form closed loops, those of alba end at the leaf edge. Of course there’s a hybrid too, which is common where they meet.

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · 26d

Been a while since I looked but yes, believe both are there 😁

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · Sep 6

It’s been a while since I went out looking for #ladybirds, but with the recent surge in Hieroglyphic Ladybird records from unusual spots across the North East, I felt obliged to try and find one myself... 🐞🔎

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · Sep 3

IRecord would be great if at all possible! 😁

Reposted by James Common

Moira O'Donnell @naturelark.bsky.social · Aug 31

Black Nightshade, Solanum nigrum, with unripe berries (they will ripen to black). Seen on the approach path to Staines Reservoir. #WildflowerHour

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Reposted by James Common

Roger_TL45Y @rogerhorton.bsky.social · Aug 31

Nine Nightshade family members from #Cambridge and #Suffolk:
Woody, Black, Green,
Small, Deadly & Tall Nightshades,
…plus Thorn Apple, Henbane & Duke of Argyll's Tea Plant.
Scientific names in ALT.
#WildflowerHour #Fruits

A collage of nine photos of members of the Nightshade family in a three by three array:
Solanum dulcamara, S. nigrum, S. nitidibaccatum,
S. triflorum, Atropa belladonna, S. chenopodioides
Datura stramonium, Hyoscymus niger, Lycium barbarum.

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · Sep 1

A few healthy patches of Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus) from coastal masonry at Tynemouth. #urbanflora

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James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · Sep 1

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) with a sea view at Cullercoats. A surprisingly frequent part of Tyneside's #urbanflora 😅

James Common @commonbynature.bsky.social · Aug 31

With this one, I'm not sure but the family I believe was used in centuries past. Whether they have any actual benefit I'm unsure 😅