Matchsticks in Negative

This tiny fungus made me think of matchsticks in negative. They open out to look like antlers.

I am always amazed at the huge diversity of fungi, it's no wonder I get obsessed.

On The Up

This tiny little fungus was almost completely hidden under some bracken. I love the way the cap flows upwards revealing the delicate fins beneath.

In the first image you can see a tiny seed caught between two of the fins and also two tiny little water droplets.

In the second you can just make out the twisted stem.

It is so beautiful.

Amethyst Deceiver

This wonderful fungus Laccaria amethystina lives in both deciduous and coniferous forests.

It is edible but it can absorb arsenic from the soil apparently so I am not sure how you would tell which ones are safe to eat or not.

There were several spread across the forest floor, they are quite small and despite the bold colour they were not immediately obvious, at least not to me. I really like the way they fold upwards and turn inside out.

Frosty Moss

Looking down as I walked across the common I saw this clump of frosty moss and what I think is a variety of Ganoderma fungus. It looks rather like a colony of coral.

Fancy Frills

The fungus featured today had a large, flat, tan coloured surface but the most striking feature was the white underside with fine frills resembling an Elizabethan ruff.

I have been able to highlight the delicate spores by using a small torch that I always have in my camera bag and I am really pleased with the effect.

A Curious Fungus

This thimble shaped fungus was growing on the sawn end of a fallen tree. It was really quite small but it is hard to give a real idea of scale. However the parallel lines on the left of the frame are the growth rings of the tree so that should give some sense of how small it is.

From above it was rather uninteresting since it looked like a dirty lump, almost like a piece of used gum and I wasn't going to bother taking a photograph but as I took the time to look closer I noticed the bristles around the outer surface and the texture of the fungus around the lower rim, and then I saw the spores inside which resemble the rows of teeth in a sharks mouth. Funnily enough when I was selecting this picture for today my son commented that it was like sharks teeth so hopefully you will see it too.

If you have seem my blog before you will know that I love fungus and the world of fungi is full of curiosities just like this. I know that as well as photographing them I need to learn to identify them too.Curiosity

On The Forest Floor

You can see from the clover in the top right of the picture just how small this fungus is and it was amazing that I actually spotted it because it was in a very dark and shady spot. Luckily I had a torch in my bag so could light it up.

Fungi Forest

Today after a work visit in Derbyshire I took a brief detour on my way home for a walk in Macclesfield Forest. I was again looking for autumn colours but it is mostly coniferous forest so I focused more on what was below my feet.

As I am colour blind I often have trouble spotting things and will often rely on whoever is with me to point things out and I am always grateful for that but today as I was on my own I had to search for myself. I have no idea how many opportunities I missed but I was quite pleased that I managed to spot a number of varieties of fungi, even really small and well hidden ones which I will share in the coming weeks mixed up with some of the other shots I have yet to post.

I thought the fungus in today's pictures is a variety of xylaria or Candlestick Fungus but doing a little more research I think it is actually a variety of Hymenoscyphus or cup fungus. If you know exactly what it is then feel free to comment. I have seen this variety growing of rotting fence posts and here is is on a mossy log in a very shaded spot.

Fabulous Woodland Fungi

Today I went for a lovely woodland walk in Brock Bottom in Lancashire. I had gone hoping to see lots of autumn colours but was slightly disappointed as there wasn't the variety of colour that I had expected. Nonetheless I had a really nice time and there were some interesting sights including squirrels, tree creepers and dippers and of course some really nice fungi.

I love fungi, the varied colours and shapes and so I can't pass up an opportunity to capture a good image whenever I come across some. Especially when it is a variety that I haven't seen before or if they are in an interesting formation. This specimen fits both criteria and I think they make a lovely picture growing together on this moss covered log.

I have tried to identify this particular fungus but so far haven't been able to so if anyone can tell me please let me know in the comments. I will keep trying to identify it but any help is always welcome.

Fancy Fungus

Walking through the woodland around Brimham Rocks it was lovely to find a number of different fungi and this is one of my favourites so it was especially good to find such a fantastic specimen

A Wooden Rainbow

At the end of the walk on Saturday I came across a stack of logs by the side of the path.  On the exposed cut ends of many of the logs there were colonies of fungi which as you can see from the first two pictures were thriving in their exposed position.  As well as the curling fungus you can see the rough texture of the wood which has a mossy appearance.

The title of today's post refers to the final picture of the pattern of the rings which given the shape and varied colours has the appearance of a rainbow. From a distance the end of these logs appeared smooth particularly due to the glossy sheen from the recent heavy rainfall, however close up you can see that it is actually very bristly, a bit like a coir door mat.

Bolton Abbey

Breakfast Time

Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones too

Stepping stones in wood

Around the river bend

So today I have a small selection of pictures from my early morning walk around Bolton Abbey, the day after the balloon pics from the previous post.

I love the early morning, it was such a peaceful time with just a couple of dog walkers sharing the morning before the day trippers arrived.  It was quite misty and there was little colour to the sky but even so I think I captured the essence of the English country morning (at least I hope so!)

I think my favourite image here is the stepping stones in wood.  Let me know which is your favourite. . .