Bunny Wood, Nottinghamshire and Sowdley Wood, Clunton, Shropshire, June/July 2011

Bunny Wood, Nottinghamshire, June 2011

A half day trip to Bunny Wood.  Everywhere very dry and so was surprised to find a Polyporus varius.

Although it was well hidden in a hollow that had a damp muddy patch.  In the middle of the muddy patch lay a log and there was the solitary Polyporus varius.  A lovely looking fungus with a frilly margin which reminded me of the leaves of a cabbage lettuce.  The light was very bad so the photograph is rather grainy.

There was also a fun moment at this point.  Chris exclaimed that he had found an exotic looking fungus.

Alas it was a false alarm.  Someone with a very good sense of humour had set out to fool fungi hunters by placing a porcelain mushroom under a bush complete with a bright purple elongated cap and a white wavy stem!

Sowdley Wood, Clunton, Shropshire, July 2011

Based ourselves at Bishops Castle for the weekend.  The weather being absolutely gorgeous.  Sunny, warm and dry although there had been some rain the previous week and so was hopeful that I would find some fungi.  Chris spotted something bright yellow half hidden under some leaves under a pine tree.

Unusual characteristics.  Ugly looking with a thick stem that was turning black.  The texture was very felty and we had a debate as to whether it was like a peach or a nectarine.  I won the day and it was agreed it felt like a peach.  I later identified it as an Onnia tomentosa.   Unusual to be growing at such low altitude.

The following day we had another successful day.  On a dead log I found Trechispora mollusca which is white and resembles a lace-table cloth in appearance and it is rather porous.

Also found some small brown like fronds growing on a pine tree trunk - only 1 cm in length which I cannot yet identify.  We found a lovely location for lunch.  A field surrounded by trees.  Alone with birdsong, wild flowers, butterflies and nice views - it felt like paradise.

These photographs can now be seen on Browse 3.

Isle of Skye, Scotland, May 2011

A difficult blog to write. See previous blog for the reason why.

Portree

We found the lovely Aros Visitors Centre on the outskirts of Portree surrounded by a spectacular wood.

The Visitors Centre served an incredibly nice Lime Merangue Pie which I guzzled very quickly. Very nice place with ample parking.

Drizzle and very high winds persisted with the tops of the tall pine trees noisily crashing together.We tramped around this wood for a good few hours.  Chris was particularly excited because he spotted a Golden Eagle whereas I had my eyes on the ground looking for good fungi.  Not much to be seen until we found some small cream, disc-like rubbery textured caps amongst moss on a bank.  I think they might be Tarzetta.

Braes Beach

Again, wind blowing us about again - even making photography difficult and the wind so strong that my anti-shake mechanism on my camera failed to work.  Found an interesting specimen in a sandy/soil/mossy bunker by the sea.  Egg-shaped cap, buff background but with grey mottling.  Am not sure yet what it is.

Claigan near Dunvegan (Coral Beach)

My birthday.  Severe gales overnight and fresh snow on the mountains but the sun shone for most of the day although the wind never abated.

Was most impressed with this coral beach. (Dessicated sun-bleached algae) resembling the colour of white tropical sand. We spent a good half day there.  On the way back to the car we walked across a large open meadow. In dung I found what I believe might be Psilocybe coprophila or subcoprophila.  Buff coloured fungi in groups in cow dung.

The day and my birthday ended in a very spectacular manner.  On the drive back to our cottage, we had to stop the car twice due to severe hail storms but were rewarded on the second stop by the most impressive and very special double rainbow.

I will never forget my time in Skye with Chris.  It was too special for words in every respect.

All photographs can now be viewed on Browse 3.