Oakley Woods, Nr. Ashorne, Warwickshire - 5th January 2018

I visited this location for the first time, as usual not expecting to see a great quantity of fungi at this time of the year, but was pleasantly surprised by some of the more unusual resupinates I found on site. The whole area is unusual as it surrounds a crematorium, and more than once I needed to allow an entourage through when leaving the site. The woods were filled with magnificent Scots, Corsican and Caucasian Pine trees, along with a good quantity of Silver Birch, plus smaller areas of Oak and Hazel. Although most dog walkers I meet tend to give me a wide berth (perhaps it's the attire and boots I wear or the fact I am alone in a wood trying to look intelligent) I tend to jingle the nerves. I think I would be a little wary if I met myself coming the other way. One delightful lady stopped to ask what I was doing, seeing I was studying a fruiting body with a hand glass. She directed me to where, in the Autumn, there are many Amanita muscarias that can be found on the east side of the wood. I helped her ID a Stinkhorn (Phallas impudicus) she had found earlier in the year from her iPhone. I also found an unusual insect whilst focusing on rotting wood in a female Stag Beetle (added here for interest). Always good to see, and I would like to think shows the health of the wood. I reported this into the local Wildlife Trust in case.

Exida plana 

Mycena galopus var. candida - Milking bonnet

Mycena Inclinata (Clustered Bonnet, matured on Oak stump) 

Crepidotus variabilis  Variable Oysterling (matured)

Clavulinopsis fusiformis  Golden Spindles (way past its prime but unusual to see in late December)

Antrodia ramentacea (seldom recorded and seen here on Pine)

Ceraceomyces borealis (Seldom recorded seen here on Birch)

Mycoacia uda (with KOL staining)

Hymenochaete rubiginosa  Oak Curtain Crust 

Phanerochaete velutina - possible only

Heterobasidon annosum  Root Rot on Pine

Tomentellopsis echinospora (possible only - very cobwebby, thick and like white candyfloss)

Female Stag Beetle (note the nice pincers but minute compared to the males)

Daeda's Woods, Nr Adderbury, Oxfordshire 31st December 2017

I visited this Woodland Trust site for the first time on New Year's Eve not expecting to see a great deal at this time of the year. It is a nice location, a little parking spot for three cars, easy to navigate paths and a nice mix of Oak, Ash and Willow. A river flows through the wood and there is plenty of old wood log piles around which look left for years, which only helps! I was looking for resupinates as you would expect and wasn't disappointed and added some of the highlights here. Nice to come across two 'old' Collared Earthstars in leaf litter/mulch caught in a willow stump close to the river again. The sacs were still operating though and pumping well. All others are common species except for Subulicystidium longisporum, which isn't. This is only a 'possible' also as like so many they need spore testing before 100% ID. I have booked myself on a Macrofungi microscopy course later this year, so will then expect to purchase a microscope, agents, slides etc., and keys to ID also at that time. Perhaps I can get closer to 100% ID at that stage like so many of the expert mycologists in this country. Pity these courses are so rare and there isn't more help given to 'budding' amateur mycologists, like myself. We can't rely on the relative few mycologists out there - they get old as well!

Geastrum triplex Collared Earthstar

Radulomyces confluens (resupinate under willow log pile)

Steccherinum ochraceum (resupinate under Ash)

Subulicystidium longisporum ?? (Resupinate under log)

Tremella mesenterica (Yellow Brain)

Stereum gausapatum (Bleeding Oak Crust)