Fungi walk and talk 6/11/10

We were very fortunate to have had such a lovely start to the day after the heavy rainfall the last couple of days. We commenced our day's event with a walk to Boodle's wood in order to identify fungi first hand. Our first stop was to identify some fungi we noticed higher up on a tree trunk. Nigel pointed out this was known as "Jew's Ear" although we weren't sure how that got its name! It was a beautiful walk to our next site where we stopped. It was a very typical autumnal walk and the paths were totally covered with hundreds of the most beautiful coloured leaves. Another fungi which was identified on an old log was "Candle Snuff". This was quite a miniature fungi with black stalks which stood completely upright with a white head. This fungi was found in groups. "Earth Balls" were discovered further in the walk. Most of the group hadn't heard of these. They were completely round like small boulders with no 'underside'. Instead the gills are inside as it is actually a round ball. This is an edible fungi. When we arrived back at the house we had tea/coffee and then went into the main powerpoint presentation with Nigel, showing his own photographs of fungi in the immediate area of Oaken Clough. Some of our members had sent photographs to Nigel from their own gardens which included "Inkcaps". These were poisonous mushrooms. All in all, a splendid day and it gave most of us who had never been to a presentation on fungi, a real incentive to learn more about this very interesting and unusual organism. MTVCA members walk across the public right of way toward Boodle wood. Anne Dawson says hello to a shire horse (inset). The group is halted upon entry to the wood as we make our first discovery. Upon checking the 'bible' of mushrooms,Nigel tells us it is 'Jews ear fungus' (inset). The group rambles onwards into the wood. One lone mushroom finds a rather bizarre spot to find nutrients! An 'Earth Ball' Nigel presents the talk on mushrooms and fungi. Ink Caps