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James Emerson

@norwichbirder.bsky.social

1.4K followers 750 following 1K posts

Naturalist living in Norfolk (UK) - particularly interested in birds, fungi, psyllids and shieldbugs (also real ale, Forteana etc) Local patch = Whitlingham C.P. and the wider Norwich area. Sporadically updated blog: http://jamesbirdsandbeer.blogspot.com/

jamesbirdsandbeer.blogspot.com

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · Jan 16

I've just finished putting together my local patch bird report, covering species seen at Whitlingham & Thorpe Marshes (Norwich) during 2024. It can be downloaded here: drive.google.com/file/d/13pLp... A big thank you to everyone who has reported sightings and allowed photos to be used in the report.

This is the front cover of a local bird report. The backgrouns is a pale purple, and in the centre is a landscape photo showing a flooded path with a bench on the foreground and a bare tree at the back. The text reads "The Birds of Whitlingham & Thorpe 2024" at the top and "Compiled by James Emerson" below the photo.

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mattrjones.bsky.social @mattrjones.bsky.social · 8h

It's been a late start this year with the dry weather but the grassland fungi are finally appearing. I'm going to post a waxcap species each day as we move through peak fruiting season, hoping to encourage folks to recognise and record this important group. @plantlifeuk.bsky.social

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mattrjones.bsky.social @mattrjones.bsky.social · 8h

Waxcap 1- Yellowfoot Waxcap (Cuphophyllus flavipes).
Named for the yellow base to the stipe. Cap is a beautiful purple grey, gills are a paler grey with a decurrent gill attachment. I find it to be one of the early fruiting species.

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Paul Duff @airborneyellow.bsky.social · 9h

(2/2) Puffballs, Common Bonnet, Tawny Grisette and the inevitable Fly Agaric, among dozens of other species
#fungi

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Paul Duff @airborneyellow.bsky.social · 9h

Golden Scalycap, Bay Bolete, Oyster and Candlesnuff in the woods this afternoon
#fungi (1/2)

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Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 9h

I know I said I wasn't going to attempt fungi IDs but I'm just going through pics taken on Sunday & suddenly thought this might actually be something rather good (or not!). Cap like dark chocolate, lemon yellow stipe & gills. Any thoughts @lukaslarge.bsky.social @jeremybartlett.bsky.social ?

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Roger Harding @rogercharding.bsky.social · 10h

Inspired by all the amazing fungi photos posted here recently, I took my camera on a stroll through an Exmoor wood.

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Chris Lansdell 💚💛🍄‍🟫🪲 @chrislansdell.bsky.social · 10h

Double earthstar day - Dwarf and Tiny in Holkham/Burnham Overy Dunes 😀

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Jeremy Bartlett @jeremybartlett.bsky.social · 10h

Weeping Bolete, Suillus granulatus.

With pines at Holkham, Norfolk, today.

#Fungi #FungiFriends

Weeping from its pores, a Weeping Bolete, Suillus granulatus.

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Bernoid @bernoid.bsky.social · 11h

So many Russulas about #FungiFriends

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James Harding-Morris @bsbicountries.bsky.social · 14h

I'm delighted that we have a whole range of talks from our Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Project taking place this winter on Tuesday evenings.

Want to learn more about conifers? Rushes? Clubmosses? Hawthorns? Plant Pathogenic Fungi? ROBOTS??

See them all here:
bsbi.org/botanical-sk...

Botanical Skills Webinars – Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

bsbi.org

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 14h

There is a related species, Pemphigus protospirae, that makes similar but longer spiral galls (influentialpoints.com/Gallery/Pemp...) I wonder if that is the specific one and people have confused the two. It’s rarer - I’ve not found it yet.

Pemphigus protospirae (Poplar polyspiral gall aphid): identification, images, ecology, control

Pemphigus protospirae (Poplar polyspiral gall aphid). Identification, biology, distribution, host plants, natural enemies, damage caused. Creative commons images.

influentialpoints.com

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 17h

I’ve heard this said, but it definitely isn’t true for the gall shown. That is an aphid gall caused by Pemphigus spyrothecae, and I’ve seen it in native Black Poplar but also Lombardy Poplar and a hybrid Black Poplar (Italian?). Occurrence on hybrids is also well documented.

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Emma @emmasartworks.bsky.social · 20h

Fungi and other finds from a visit to the Great Wood near Keswick in the English Lake District last week - particularly exciting to find Hen-of-the-woods (Maitake) which I’ve never found before, it’s not common in the UK. Pen and watercolour sketches.
🐡
#fungi #lichen #plants
#fungiFriends #art

Ink and watercolour sketches of finds from Derwentwater, UK - lichen, acorns, horse chestnut case, honey fungi, grey knight fungi, amethyst deceiver fungi, hen of the woods (maitake) fungi and bonnet fungi.

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South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre @sewbrec.org.uk · 1d

The British Mycological Society are surveying all fungi recorders as part of a review on how they share their data. It would be great if anyone who records fungi could complete it (you don't have to be a prolific fungi recorder or BMS member to take part).
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Fungus Recorder Online Survey

This survey is being conducted by the Biological Recording Company on behalf of the British Mycological Society. The survey does not collect any personal or identifying information, ensuring that al...

docs.google.com

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 1d

A couple of interesting things found amongst fallen leaves whilst looking for fungi. I've seen quite a few adult Western Conifer Seed Bugs, but this was the first nymph I've found. It was also the first time I've found a Dotted Chestnut moth, a species that has spread across Norfolk in recent years.

A brown bug with small wingbuds, resting on a dead leaf being held up to photograph.

A yellowy-brown moth with brown and grey speckling, resting on some brown dead leaves on the ground.

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 1d

Some more fungi from yesterdays NFSG foray in south Norfolk: Velvet Shield (Pluteus umbrosus), a Lepiota species, a white jelly fungus (potentially Tremella mesenterica var. alba) and Meadow Coral (Clavulinopsis corniculata). #fungifriends

A brown toadstool-type fungus is growing out of a log. Most of the background shows dark brown bark. The cap of the fungus has a vein-like pattern.

A fungus with a domed white cap with dark brown freckles and a dark brown centre. It is growing from dead leaves.

A white jelly fungus is drooping down from an old branch.

A bright yellowy-orange branched coral fungus growing from the ground amongst some green leaves and grasses.

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you, that's very kind and I'm glad you find the posts interesting 😊

James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 1d

A respectable six psyllid species were recorded at Tacolneston whilst searching for fungi. One adult (Spanioneura fonscolombii on Box), one nymph (Trioza remota on Oak) and galls of Trioza alacris on Bay, Psylla buxi on Box (both pictured) plus Trioza centranthi and Psyllopsis fraxini agg.

A yellowy-green Bay leaf with a folded over galled edge (darkened to brown).

Green box leaves with a pale yellow 'cabbage gall' at one of the tips. The leaves are covered with dew.

A small green psyllid, Spanioneura fonscolombii on the bottom of a wet plastic tray.

The underside of a pale green Oak leaf, showing a pale Trioza remota nymph resting in a depression.

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 1d

A couple of unspectacular but scarce fungi from yesterdays Norfolk Fungus Study Group foray. On bark is Hypoxylon cercidicola, which forms erumpent brown discs on old Ash branches. The clustered one on the leaf is Xenomeris nicholsonii on Prunus lucitanica. Both found & ID'd by Stewart Wright.

Hypoxylon cercidicola - some round brown discs surrounded by peeled back bark, amongast some pale greenish 'normal' bark.

Xenomeris nicholsonii - a bright green leaf with reddish-brown leaf spots, which are made up of clusters of speckles.

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Liz Downey @lizlouise.bsky.social · 1d

First Fly Agarics of the year for me, plus some False Deathcap 🍄‍🟫🍄 #Fungi #Mushrooms

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Vanna Bartlett @vannabartlett.bsky.social · 1d

Delighted to find my first Norfolk Homalenotus quadridentatus. A small juvenile under a brick in the gardens at Tacolneston Hall, found on a visit yesterday with Norfolk Fungus Study Group. This is a very scarce species in Norfolk. #Arachtober #Opiliones #Harvestmen #Arachnids

A small harvestman on the underside of a brick. The harvestman's body is patterned in dark and light squares with rows of raised tubercles. It has a horn like tubercle projecting from the front of the carapace in front of the eyes. The legs are covered in fine spines.

A small harvestman on some moss. The harvestman's body is patterned in dark and light squares with rows of raised tubercles. It has a horn like tubercle projecting from the front of the carapace in front of the eyes. The legs are covered in fine spines.

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Jeremy Bartlett @jeremybartlett.bsky.social · 1d

Pink Domecap, Rugosomyces carneus.

On the lawn at Tacolneston Hall, on yesterday's Norfolk Fungus Study Group foray.

www.first-nature.com/fungi/rugoso...

#ƒungi #FungiFriends

Pink Domecap, Rugosomyces carneus, growing on a lawn.

Pink Domecap, Rugosomyces carneus. Picked specimen with ruler - top side.

Pink Domecap, Rugosomyces carneus. Picked specimen with ruler - underside.

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Jeremy Bartlett @jeremybartlett.bsky.social · 1d

Blackedge Bonnet, Mycena pelianthina.

In woodland at Tacolnston Hall, Norfolk, on yesterday's Norfolk Fungus Study Group foray.

www.first-nature.com/fungi/mycena...

#Fungi #FungiFriends

Two picked fruitbodies of Blackedge Bonnet, Mycena pelianthina, showing cap (left) and gills (right).

Blackedge Bonnet, Mycena pelianthina, showing the dark purple-black edges of the gills.

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 1d

Not particularly marshy, I’d say uncut meadow with lots of knapweed between a stately home garden and wood. There was J. erucifolia about 100m away.

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Sarah Lambert @sarahlambert7.bsky.social · 1d

Autumn mist, golden Bracken and graceful Silver Birch at Holme Fen NNR, the largest birch woodland in lowland England and one of the more surprising jewels of the fens. Amazing fungi too including Fly Agaric, Yellow Swamp Brittlegill and Crimped Gill.

🍄📷 #mushroommonday @greatfen.org.uk

A misty scene of graceful Silver Birch trees with golden-hued Bracken in the foreground

A Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria fungus growing in a mossy birch woodland

Yellow Swamp Brittlegill Russula claroflava

A fallen birch log with a huddle of Crimped Gill Plicaturopsis crispa, and moss and leaves in the foreground

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