After the deluge of yesterday we were lucky to squelch through the mud of the meadows and paths of Lancing Ring under a clear blue cloudless sky in a pleasant 9° C. For the most part the mud was not cloying and there was no standing water. About 25 ramblers suitably fortified by mince pies and a glass of sherry, with a few dogs, made a circuitous journey past the now full dewpond, down the westerly side where we were met by a chilly (9° C) fresh breeze from the south-west. The meadows had been forage harvested. Birds were few, although Jan Hamblett spotted some Yellowhammers around the location of the old Roman Temple (nothing to show above ground). This attractive yellow bird provides a welcome glimpse of colour over the grass in contrast to the sombre leafless clump of trees.

Sue Forsyth of the South Downs Conservation Board was amongst the ramblers.

Recommended English Names for Fungi

On the living trees and decaying beech logs the variety of fungi was past its best.
 

Mycena galericulata	Common Bonnet	Mycena galericulata

Trametes versicolor	Trametes versicolor	Candle Snuff - Xylaria hypoxylon

The leaf litter showed no clear toadstools poking out, but I did not have time to look as the party moved on. In the meadows there were several clumps of the orange-brown Tubaria furfuracea mushroom.
 

Tubaria furfuracea in the meadow to the SE of Lancing Clump	Tubaria furfuracea in the meadow to the SE of Lancing Clump	Fungus on a dead tree in South Lancing Chondrostereum purpureum

These fungi were identified or their identity confirmed by Malcolm Storey (BioImages).

Lancing Clump Fungi Page

Ray Hamblett's Lancing Clump web pages

Fungi of Lancing (by Ray Hamblett)

Adur Fungi: Fruiting Bodies (Monthly Guide)
Lancing Ring Fungi in October (Lancing Nature Web Pages)