A walk around my favourite woods - 4th November 2011

I went for a walk to my favourite woods. I haven't been for a few weeks. I thought there may be some fungi as we have had some rain recently. I'm still hoping to find some Chanterelles but I think it is getting too late. As I walked up the path between pine plantations I thought, " Chanterelles grow in Scotland in pine woods". So I diverted into a small clearing amongst the pines and there were patches off moss and Wood Sorrel growing. Looks just right for Chanterelles I thought and then there they were!

I couldn't believe my luck. I picked a few and then looked for other similar spots. I found another two places with moss and Wood Sorrell and again there were Chanterelles. Unfortunately, when I got home and checked the Roger Phillips book, some were definitely False Chanterelle. Some did look like the edible variety, but I wasn't sure. They smell faintly of apricots, but I have a cold and can't smell, so I'll get some more later and try again. There were some other fungi. One variety was quite prolific. I'll try to identify it later.

A type of Puffball. It doesn't have a common name.

I think this is Common Funnel Cap.

I'll try to identify these later.

I walked on to where I know there are some Jews Ear fungi (or Wood Ears for the Politically Correct). Yes, they were there. These are edible but I found them tasteless and chewy. Still, protein if you need it! When it's dry they shrivel up, but you can still pick them and put them in water and they will re-constitute.

These are pretty.

I noticed that many of the holly bushes that don't normally have berries on have berries already this year. For those who believe that when there is a big crop of berries, we will have a bad winter, look out! But, last year there weren't as many holly berries here and we did have a bad winter. So it's cobblers!