More fungal forays

In my desire to learn more about identifying wild fungi I've been deliberately looking out for them while out on my daily country walks.

One of the first things I learned is that, if you want to find a good variety, you need to look for the 'Holy Trinity' of trees - beech, oak and birch - or BOB for short. And if there's a good amount of moist moss and grass around the trees, you have the ideal conditions.

Unfortunately, the open land closest to my house are dominated by hazel, ash, oak and cherry so it's not optimal. However, I have found a few interesting specimens including three chicken of the woods, which is a real treat.

I've also found some yellow stainers. These are frequently mistaken for edible field mushrooms and look, in many ways, like the mushrooms you get in the shops. However, break the skin and they turn a bright yellow. That's a dead giveaway. The stainer is poisonous and is responsible for quite a few upset tummies every year.

Other nice finds include a turkeytail bracket fungus and lurid bolete that turns blue when you bruise it., 

And there have been a few sepia boletes, some grisettes and waxcaps.

And there have been many others. 

Every day is a school day!