Most visit in spring to witness the spectacular blaze of colour, but at this time of year the Moorlands Nature Reserve offers a more mellow charm, not to mention the odd surprise, as MATT CLARK discovered.

IT might not look much, but to Malcolm Greaves the sliver of black and orange in his left hand is one of the most exciting things he has ever seen.

Mr Greaves, recorder for the mid-Yorkshire fungus group, was recently asked to make a survey of the Moorlands Nature Reserve on the edge of York.

Not that he had high hopes of finding much, because although funghi flourish in woods, the majority of Moorlands is made up of rhododendrons and Mr Greaves says they're not particularly friendly to spore-producing organisms.

Even so, he identified more than 50 species, then came an astonishing find.

"I have just discovered this fungus, from the family scutalinia," says Mr Greaves. "At worst it's very rare, at best it could well be new to the UK."

Mr Greaves explains that fungus is important in nature because it breaks down leaf litter and wood. How crucial is well illustrated in Chernobyl, where the nuclear explosion killed it all. Now there is a thick carpet of leaves unable to rot down.

"I give talks at various places and try to push the ecology side of fungus," says Mr Greaves. "Unfortunately the only thing people want to know is which they can eat. But it's vitally important for so many other reasons."

If you insist on foraging for mushrooms, something Mr Greaves advises against, you should go with someone who knows what they are doing.

A book is no substitute, he says, because you will find a species in it and say that's the one. "Then you turn the page and think well no it could be that one, or that one, and so it goes on."

Not that Moorlands Nature Reserve is a forager's paradise. The reason for visiting this little haven near Wiggington is purely recreational. Its website may advise visiting between March and September for the displays of daffodils, azaleas and rhododendrons, but, like all woodlands, there is an altogether more earthy character at this time of year. Heady scents are replaced by musty fustiness, wellies scrunch through fallen leaves, golden hues instead of a riot of colour.

The reserve exists thanks to Edward Grosvenor Tew, who bought Moorlands House in 1909 and set about planting a huge number of rhododendrons and azaleas in the estate.

Moorlands was acquired by The Retreat in York for use as a hospital during the Second World War, then in 1955 part of the estate was sold to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT).

Today management of the site aims to preserve the special character of an Edwardian woodland garden and encourage native wildlife within the reserve. Some of the oak and beech trees are more than 150 years old, but during YWT's stewardship the approach has been to achieve a greater mix, control aggressive rhododendron ponticum and keep the reserve safe and accessible.

The result is a wealth of trees and flowering plants that attract many species of bird and mammal.

Bat boxes have also been erected, which have been successfully used by common pipistrelle and brown long-eared bats, with soprano pipistrelle, Brandt's and Daubenton's bats having also been recorded.

There is a tree house where woodland birds, including great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and a variety of tits can be observed as they visit the feeders. Sparrowhawks are another regular sight around the reserve's edges and woodcock are occasionally seen at this time of year.

Moorlands also boasts a couple of small ponds, one of them with a dipping platform that is sure to provide much interest to anyone with a net.

But maybe we'll take the website's advice on that one, and come back next spring.

Much of the work and management at Moorlands is carried out by volunteers. The 'Moorlanders' will be delighted to see anyone who would like to help with woodland work and ponticum bashing. Please contact the volunteer team on volunteering@ywt.org.uk in the first instance.