Hazel Waxy Crust

A few days back I spotted a thick Hazel branch that appeared to have a section of bark ripped away. The exposed wood beneath was covered in a smooth, waxy fungus. I figured I'd never be able to name it and moved on. Last night, whilst flicking through one of my fungus guides I saw a photo of the mystery fungus, clear as day. Wow, what a jam! The book said it was a Vuilleminia, a genus I'm not familiar with. Today I had to go back and see about finding that particular Hazel branch. I skipped out of work early and headed off in search of the fungus, yearlisting as I went. Nothing dreadfully exciting, though I grabbed a handful of moss samples which I'll tackle later tonight. 

Somehow I managed to relocate the exact Hazel branch in question, and it was with a small degree of excitement that I checked off the various Vuilleminia features, No doubt about it - this was the real deal and my first lifer of 2018 

Note the pale lilac coloured coating where the bark is missing

Feels smooth and waxy, though is completely dry to the touch

This is Vuilleminia coryli, the only one in the genus to occur on Hazel. The genus is known as Waxy Crust, so I'm dubbing this Hazel Waxy Crust. Looking around, I spotted several other patches including some on quite slender twigs. It's the fungus itself that causes the bark to peel back (probably the easiest way to spot it in the first place), rather than colonising a wound, as I at first suspected to be the case.

Totally diagnostic "peeled" look with the waxy crust on the exposed wood beneath

Seems to be quite a common species in the southern part of Britain, but only a handful of records from up here in Scotland - and none from Skye. Here's the NBN Map

I suspect the Scottish records are all from HBRG, they're pretty hot on their fungi.

Pleased with that, I wandered down to the beach in search of the recently elusive Iceland Gull. The gulls were pretty distant, all down at the water's edge and the tide was quite a way out. Plus the light was poor, which didn't help. Anyway, I'd only just started my first scan when I did a massive double-take - Whoaaaa!!!!

Can you see it yet?

I managed a miserable four shots before the flock were spooked by a certain spaniel that I know quite well. These are all MASSIVELY cropped and pretty shoddy anyway, but it's the best I could do. Glad I didn't turn up two minutes later, else I'd have missed seeing this brute of a bird.

Heads up as they catch sight of the dog running at them.......

For the non-larophiles out there, the left hand bird is a first winter Glaucous Gull, it would have been born last summer in the very far north, right up in the Arctic Circle. If ever you see wildlife documentaries that show big, white gulls at Polar Bear kills, there's a good chance that it'll be this species. However, they do turn up each year in British waters. Some years there are just a handful, usually restricted to the northernmost parts of Britain. In exceptional years there may be a few hundred scattered around the coastline, even along the south coast of England. They are rare away from the coast, but do sometimes turn up at inland rubbish dumps. Glaucous Gulls are like oversized Iceland Gulls, though proportionally deeper chested, stronger billed, bigger headed and shorter winged. Together, the pair are known as white-wingers, thanks to a lack of grey or black at the wingtips or across the mantle. Technically, Mediterranean Gulls are also white-wingers (as is the mega rare Ivory Gull), but I'm not sure Med Gull is very likely in Uig - though they are seen on Skye from time to time. Ivory Gull is hugely unlikely, being a gross rarity anywhere in Britain. One did turn up here three years ago, spent most of its time at the pier but did enter NG3963 on occasion. Unfortunately, the chances of lightning striking twice are exceedingly slim, probably zilch in fact. Oh, and Ross' Gull, I forgot about that. I've seen a three of those, but never on a beach. Still, something to bear in mind. Probably.

Right, I guess I better go check out the mosses I collected this afternoon and throw you some more random tunes. Apparently my taste in music is "the equivalent of a Goshawk ripping apart prey in a frenzy" so tonight I'm toning it down. Not that I ever really felt it was "up", so to speak...  

I only discovered these guys a few months back, introduced to me by a guy who used to work here (he also managed to get me into Jack White, so I guess I owe him a beer or two if ever I see him again). First song is just so darn catchy, if it doesn't get you tapping your feet and bobbing your head there's clearly something wrong with you.

Andrew, it's just dawned on me that you're missing out somewhat. I'll see what I can come up with, buddy.

Oh, I crawled across the 200 species mark today. Whoop whoop!