It was strangely warm today, at first misty and then just very, very dull. The damp grey conditions were livened up by quite a good showing of fungi around the reserve. The logs beside the track between the Centre and Woodland Hide are particularly good, many have clusters of turkey-tail fungus.
The moss covered, more rotted ones sometimes have candle snuff.
There are also increasing numbers of scarlet elf-cups, a species that is always around in greatest numbers in late January.
I also found a few more conventional “toadstools”, one group on an old alder stump.
Also these tiny pale ones on a moss covered willow trunk.
The fallen branches often have various fungi on and one had a brightly coloured fungus encrusted all along it.
Some fungi live in association with algae to produce lichens, spore production brings out their fungal side.
With all this emphasis on fungi you might think it was autumn, but there was a distinct feel of spring with the first few of the wild daffodil near the Woodland hide already in flower.
You may have noticed that these pictures were taken using a flash, this was because it was so dull today that I could not get a picture of any of these without it!
Out on the reserve the bittern was at Ivy North on and off all day and out on Ibsley Water the usual black-necked grebe and Slavonian grebe had hundreds of duck for company. I counted exactly 200 pintail, my highest count so far this winter.
In the late after noon the gull roost was joined by the first winter Caspian gull which stood out on the shingle spit to the right of the Tern hide for all to see, including me, which was pleasing as I had previously failed to catch up with it.
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 
How lovely to get a photo of a wild daffodil. There are no wild daffodils where I am at the moment, and, along with bluebells, they are the floral symbol of home for me. Thank you.
Thank you very interesting about the fungi. Will be popping down to see the pintails as they must be at their best right now. Angela
Lovely to see the first wild daffodils, too.
The lovely photo of the wild daffodil reminds me of home – sadly no wild daffodils where I am. Thanks!
I’m trying to comment on the blog, without success so far! Just wanted to say how nice it was to see my first wild daffodil of the year.
I think the issue was that comments have to be “approved” before they can be read and a backlog had built up.
Thank you. I thought it was something I was doing wrong!
Lovely to see one of the first wild daffodils.
Lovely to see the wild daffodil, too. Hoping to see lots when I’m able to be there mid-Feb.