Kirkstall sightings

On the way to work I pass by an old stone wall, that forms part of a railway embankment overhanging with brambles, ragwort, bindweed, grasses, Ash and Sycamore. I noticed a number of caterpillars feeding on ragwort, closer inspection revealed the beasties as the caterpillars of the Cinnabar moth. Up at Druridge Bay last year we saw huge numbers of these Cinnabar caterpillars.

Here's the spot, the crevices are a haven for snails and spiders.

On the grassland beyond lots of these tiny cap and stem fungi have sprung up, ranging in size from 5p to 10p. This first one looks like its been trampled, the second two are more indicative of the fruitbodies dotted throughout the grass.

I spotted this fungi growing near the base of a hedge, possibly from the remnants of a tree stump, ochre in colour, growing in fan-like brackets and  approx 40cm in length, maybe a Giant Polypore, and there's a smaller cap and stem fungi growing to the left.

Whilst recycling my empties at the bottle bank near Morrisons in Kirkstall, I noticed a cluster of Cellar Cup fungi growing through the paving stones, sadly no camera so you'll just have to take my word for it.