Looking for fungi

Autumn is now upon us. The leaves are turning colour and falling, the geese are collecting in the nearby field each evening and one by one the bees, wasps and butterflies are disappearing.

Autumn is the best time to go looking for fungi. Although with the dry autumn so far there are much less around than normal.

The best and safest way to look for fungi is on an organised walk. That way lots of people are looking out for even the tiniest fungi, an expert is on hand to identify the different types and most important of all, there are people who know which ones are poisonous.

This afternoon I joined a walk organised by The Abingdon Naturalist Society http://www.abnats.org.uk  The walk was lead by John Killick and took place in a private wood, Foxcombe Wood, just outside Oxford.

As soon as we arrived I noticed some amazing wood carvings in amongst the trees.

John spoke about the different types of fungi that were surveyed in the same wood 10 years  ago and what types we would be expecting to find today.

Throughout the walk Steve West, who manages the wood, told us a little about some of the animals and  the type of work that goes on in the woods.

I have just bought a new (second hand) camera, taking photos of fungi was a good chance for me to try it out and get used to the lens and settings.

Fly Agaric (my mum calls it the Disney toadstool) is one of my favourite fungi to take photos of and I was pleased to find some today even if they had been nibbled.

Earth balls

It was great to have a chance to walk around a different woodland and even better to spot a few badger holes.

Earth ball