Tony Hardware's Fungi Finds

Salcey Forest, Northants 14th October 2017

This was to be my first foray into this very public and open Forestry Commission site in SE Northants. I went to what I considered a remote part of the site at the east end near the eastern car park and headed north. Normally a great place for all aspects of wildlife having seen my first White Admiral butterfly there only a few months ago and bird life can also be good. I found a few interesting Cortinarius species, a family I like to see only because they are so difficult to ID as the spore mass goes off quickly. However, if you study a good example closely you can get close to ID sometimes! I also found my first Dog Stinkhorn, albeit it in its immature form. Fungi was starting to drop off even at this time of the year but still unusual species can be found.

Cortinarius caninus

Cortinarius caninus gills/stem -
note subtle diagonal markings at the base of the stem.

Cortinarius croceocaeruleus

Mutinus caninus - Dog Stinkhorn

Tephrocybe inocens - probable seldom recorded.

Whipsnade Zoo, Beds 11th October 2017

I attended a specially arranged foray through this zoo, which I have visited many times before as a youngster. The Beds Fungus Survey Group and along with Bucks Fungus Group had been allowed or even asked to survey the zoo as this had never been achieved before in a scientific manner to record whatever was found on site. Led by a Fellow of the Zoo and distinguished mycologist Alan Outen, around 20 of us started at the Owl Woods along with other areas of the zoo normally closed to the public. On the way into the zoo out in the car park a Lactarius species controversus was found by the only tree in the car park, but I am sure this would be counted, as quite unusual anywhere. I got off to a excellent start when foraging at an area that had't seen much activity at all and came across a Clitocybe species that would be the 1st for Beds!! Clitocybe houghtonii. Identified by Alan later. Overall we gathered around over 170 species, and amazing count considering we were finding all the best places as we went along. A detour into the Butterfly House produced some very unusual species such as Hohenbuehelia petaloides as well as and even better the greenhouse specialty Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, or Plantpot Dapperling. Some of the best of the bunch I found follows:

Fistulina hepatica - Beefsteak Fungus (immature)

Mycena pelianthina - Blackedge Bonnet

Clitocybe houghtonii - 1st for Beds!!

Polyporus squamosus - Dryad's Saddle

Laxitextum bicolor

Pholiota spumosa

Scleroderma verrucosum - Scaly Earthball

Hohenbuehelia petaloides - (uncommon)

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii - Plantpot Dapperling

Clitopilus prunulus - The Miller

Bucknell Wood, Northants 4th October 2017

I visited this site just north of Brackley, again a mixed woodland with deciduous and conifer trees together. Footpaths are few and far between but that doesn't matter to a fungifinder, with strange broad rimmed hat, muddy knees jeans and a camera! An interesting species of Cortinarius was evident which is shown here, overall seeing over 45 species in around three hrs. So quite good still at this time of the year but I could see that Lactarius and Russulas seen earlier this year there were now less around.

Inocybe napipes - Bulbous Fibrecap

Cortinarius cinnabarinus - Cinnabar Webcap

Russula queletii - Fruity Brittlegill

Chlorociboria aeruginascens - Green Elf Cup

Lactarius vietus - Grey Milkcap

Asterophora lycoperdoides - Powdery Piggyback (on Russula nigricans)

Lactarius deliciosus - Saffron Milkcap

Pseudocraterellus undulatus - Sinuous Chanterelle

Thelephora palmata - Stinking Earthfan

Cortinarius torvus - Stocking Webcap

Lactarius fulvissimus - Tawny Milkcap

Russula claroflava - Yellow Swamp Brittlegill

Bradenham Woods, Bucks 1st October 2017

As a member of the Bucks Fungus Group I attended their foray through this old beech based woodland which is not far from High Wycombe. Around 20 people attended during drizzly weather so it showed how keen members or the public are to see and find fungi these days. I have often been told I am a 'funguy' so rather than disappoint everyone I increased my interest in fungi, as I think that's what they meant! We found between us all around 95 species, led by one of the leading mycologists in the area Penny Callington.

Tricholoma ustale - Burnt Knight

Lepiota castanea - Chestnut Dapperling
(Uncommon to site)

Clitocybe phaeophthalma - Chicken Run Funnel

Geastrum triplex - Collared Earthstar

Cortinarius decipiens - probable, as slightly gone over.

Entoloma sericatum

Craterellus cornucopiodes - Horn of Plenty

Inocybe lilacina - Lilac Fibrecap

Lactarius subdulis - Mild Milkcap

Pluteus ephebeus (first for site)

Mycena rosea - Rosy Bonnet

Mycena crocata - Saffrondrop Bonnet

Hazelborough Forest (West) 16th September 2017

Back to my favourite local patch, but this time using the north car park and walking through the western and northern stretches of the woodland. Still plenty of species around and the pick of the bunch shown here.