Asses' ears?

We had a mooch around Goodwick Moor nature reserve, along the  boardwalk that takes you through the reed bed. We stopped to look at plants and insects,  discussed the lethal potential of hemlock water dropwort and failed to hear (m)any birds singing. 

I tried to recall for the girls, the story of King Midas (of the golden touch) to whom the reeds whispered Midas has asses ears. The myth is more complex that I realised [ Wikipedia ] and I was intrigued to find that there's a West Cork version (shoutout to Freespiral!)

"In Ireland, at Loch Ine, West Cork, there is a similar story told of the inhabitant of its island, who had ass's ears. Anyone engaged to cut this King's hair was then put to death. But the reeds (in the form of a musical flute) spoke of them and the secret was out."

Extra shows some things we spotted:  a black and orange rove beetle, a camouflaged green crab spider and a rosy-red fungal gall on the sinister HWD. [Not to scale]