Monday 8 April 2013

Not Jew's Ears, maybe Tittypines, and an absence of Tadpoles.




At this time of year I go to a particular woodland in search of the elusive Morel mushroom; which I CAN NEVER FIND. However, on my yesterdays' walk I found what I originally thought to be a couple of Jew's Ears.

Knowing that Jew's Ears usually grow on trees, I consulted my Roger Phillips book, and now think them more likely to be Paxina acetabulum, which, unlike it's doppelgänger, is actually poisonous. It just shows how cautious one has to be (not that I would have eaten Jew's Ears anyway).



We have no primroses here, but we do have an abundance of Cowslips.

There are plenty of alternative names for the humble Cowslip, some of which are Fairy cups, Palsywort, Plumrocks, and Tittypines. I shall leave you to take your pick!



Yesterday I'd wanted to take a photograph of all the Tadpoles in this small puddle (below), but all I found were footprints. If they'd been at home, I'd have said that they were made by Chickens; I wonder what they really belonged to?

Whatever it was has had a very good meal; there wasn't a single Tadpole left.!


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13 comments:

  1. Those footprints look like Sparrow Giganticus to me, probably an adult bird at maybe 4' 8" from beak to tail.

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  2. Our wildlife pond in the garden is full of frogspawn this year - unbelievable considering how cold it has been

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  3. Just back from our first walk of the day. The dogs chased a Pine Marten up a small tree. What a beautiful animal; and stupid me, I forgot to take my camera. How very annoying, it's the first one I've seen for over 30 years.

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  4. Got any Moorhens in your vicinity? The only morel I have found was right outside my workshop - just where the dogs are let out of cars to sniff around...

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    1. I haven't seen any Moorhens, or even Coots. And I don't suppose I shall see any Morels this year either!

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  5. My cowslips aren't flowering yet - apart from two which have produced flowers right against the ground - which is perverse.

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  6. The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, tadpoles.

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  7. Dad used to take us morel and puffball hunting when we were kids. We always came home with about half a bushel basket. He just had an eye for it I guess.

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  8. I much prefer the common Cowslip over the bright hybrid primrose on today’s markets. Mine are just up about two inches. And as somewhat of an herbalist they are of good use medicinally as well, also I have been told they make a great wine.

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  9. Sometimes tadpoles are not meant to survive. We used to find them in large mud puddles, which dried up in two days. Lots of squiggly dried up tadpoles.

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    Replies
    1. We have a large tarpaulin covering our pool over winter. This becomes filled with water which in turn becomes a convenient pond for our local toad population. At the moment I am having to dispose of long lines of toad-sporn on a daily basis.

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  10. You don't have turkeys, do you Cro? hard to tell the size from the photo, but i'm sure whatever it was, it made quick work of the tadpoles.

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  11. As a child always knew cowslips as Peggles.

    Christy
    Lil Bit Brit

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