At Lake Pluck.

On the 8th of February I went for a quick look for fungi down at Lake Pluck. Most of what I found was on two very large sections of cut tree trunks. Other highlights were teenagers smashing up a burnt out car and shopping trolleys taking a dip in the water..Nevertheless Lake Pluck is rich in fungi and last year revealed some great finds. Hopefullly it will be the same this year.

On the way to the Pluck there were two things of note; one was a lichenised fungi, Cladonia pyxidata which is common everywhere and the other was Stereum hirsutum/Hairy Curtain Crust, an extremley common species of fungi.  Below is Cladonia pyxidata...

Stereum hirsutum/Hairy Curtain Crust is generally found on living and dead wood of deciduous trees and shrubs; rarely conifers. The upper side of the fungi as the common name describes, is hairy with the underside smooth and bumpy.

Sadly, the Pluck is a fly tippers paradise and the sheer amount of rubbish thrown here is terrible..Inbetween binbags full of clothes and beercans all over the place I came across the remains of a huge beech tree that had been felled and on one large block there were a couple of mushrooms to be found. Below is a common species called a Smoky Bracket. Bjerkandera adusta.

  

The photo below shows the mycelium of an unknown fungus living off the the wood on the underside of bark

 There were two bracket fungi that I could not identify (below). If I could have cut them off the tree I might have done so but for the moment I'll leave them alone.

Also here was Auricularia auricula-judae/Jelly Ear. Very common and widespread. The samples below had dried out somewhat and were slightly brittle and hard. Auricularia auricula-judae/Jelly Ear is not specific with beech but can be found on most deciduous trees.

Another common beech fungi is Hypoxylon fragiforme/Beech Woodwart. They begin life a pinkish colour and slowly redden until they turn reddish brown and finally black. The surface of the fruit body is pimply.

 On my home I came across a tiny 'oysterling' mushroom. It belongs to the Crepidotus family and could be Crepidotus variabilis/Variable Oysterling but I cannot be sure.