Wren finds food in mossy crevices

When I'm looking out of the kitchen window early in the morning I often see this little wren rootling around in the front garden. Here it's pecking tiny animals from the moss that grows between the paving bricks in the garden path. I often see people pressure-washing away the moss that grows in the crevices in block paving, which seems a pity, since mosses are home to an enormous range of tiny organisms that sit at the bottom of food chains. One way to make a garden more wildlife friendly is to encourage the moss growth.

Some common mosses and liverworts

 In winter, mosses and liverworts often provide some of the most vibrant new green new plant growth: this is their season. These are a few species that I've encountered in recent weeks.

MOSSES

Cypress-leaved plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme

One of the commonest and easiest-identified mosses, with leaves all curved in one direction. This one was growing on the top of a fence post in Teesdale.

Hart's-tongue thyme-moss Plagiomnium undulatum.

Unusually large leaves for a moss, with an undulating surface. Growing on the woodland floor beside the river Tees at Egglestone

Silky wall feather-moss Homalothecium sericeum

Often found growing on shady wall tops, but this specimen was on a rotting fallen tree in woodland at Egglestone in Teesdale.

LEAFY LIVERWORTS

Bifid crestwort Lophocolea bidentata

On a damp, shady retaining wall at Hexham in Northumberland

Greater featherwort Plagiochila asplenioides

On the woodkand floor at Egglestone in Teesdale.

THALLOID LIVERWORTS

Forked veilwort Metzgeria furcata

Growing on the fork of a sycamore trunk, where rain trickles down from the branches, at Egglestone in Teesdale. The bifurcating thallus has a central rib.

Crescent-cup liverwort Lunularia cruciata

Growing on concrete beside a drain on the path around our house. Moon-shaped cupules on the thallus are filled with buds (gemmae), each of which will grow into a new liverwort when washed out by rain.

Great scented liverwort aka snakewort Conocephalum conicum. The polygonal pattern on the thallus surface and raised air pores are very distinctive. On a damp, shady retaining wall at Hexham in Northumberland

Endive Pellia Pellia endiviifolia

In winter the tips of the thallus extend into branching lobes. On a damp, shady retaining wall at Hexham in Northumberland

Common liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Cupules on the surface full of gemmae, like tiddy-winks, that are splashed out by raindrops. Growing around a drain on the edge of the footpath from the Bailey to Prebends bridge in Durham city.

Sphagnum (bog moss) spore capsules

I don't often find spore capsules on bog moss Sphagnum species but they are well worth looking out for because they have a remarkable way of discharging their spores. 

They look like chestnut brown spheres, that swell and darken as they age.

When they mature you can see the lid. At this stage they remind me of tiny ginger jars. Gas pressure builds up inside as they age, and when the wall begins to dry out it shrinks. Eventually the pressure within  becomes so great that the capsule explodes, blowing the lid off and sending a column of spores into the air.

You can watch a video of this explosive 'air gun' mechanism  by clicking here