Birch Polypores on a gloomy day

The weather continues to be gloomy and grey but undeterred I ventured out today determined to try out a recently purchased macro attachment for my lens. It rained and rained and rained..

There is an abundance of Birch Polypores and I continue to chart the life cycle of some that I have been watching since the summer, although many of the birches that have hosted them have crashed and fallen unfortunately.

I cropped this droplet further as noticed that the landscape behind is inverted perfectly within it..fascinating

at last I can pick up some of the finer bark detail which fascinates me although really need a brighter day to avoid camera shake

a very old Birch Polypore

one of the fallen winter Birches

this aged specimen really is a vibrant lime green

am now thinking this is Hairy Curtain Crust (edited February)

no idea as to what type of jelly fungus this may be

old habits die hard...

with the positively tropical temperature today of 2 degrees I was pleased to see  that the snow and ice of recent weeks has not killed off all the fungi. 

am driving myself potty trying to identify all the bracket fungi-will trawl the internet and return...

I want this to be Antrodia albida,but I'm really not sure...

Turkeytail

boletes

most boletes are characterised by a spongy layer of vertical tubes on the underside of the cap,many are specialised and only grow in association with the roots of certain trees

Xerocomus subtomentosus Yellow-cracked Boletus

Suillus bovinus Shallow-pored Boletus or Jersey Cow Boletes- mum and I stumbled across this at the edge of  pine woodland-unfortunately Milo careered into it and knocked the cap off before I had a chance to take a good look .Edible apparantly

something has clearly been having a good gnaw..

really struggling to ID this beauty-think it is possibly Tylopilus felleus Bitter Boletus

I was more interested in imagining which woodland creature had managed to make the claw marks on the cap without breaking it..

probably Xerocomus badius Bay Boletus



no idea!



jelly,club,cup,flask & tooth fungi.



minute(1-2mm) and very pretty, Ascocoryne sarcoides Purple Jelly Disc



this revolting looking flask fungi is Xylaria polymorpha Dead Man's Fingers

large cup fungi  Otidea onotica Lemon Peel Fungus

Tremella foliacea Jelly Leaf



Calcera viscosa Jelly Antler Fungus




probably Sparassis crispa Cauliflower Fungus,but I'll stand corrected?



puff balls

bracket fungi

Piptoporus betulinus Birch Polypore

Inonotus dryadeus - a huge 30cm diameter specimen growing close on the base of an Oak tree, a spectacular find ( I really do sound like an anorak now )

the photo doesn't do justice to this stunning Piptoporus betulinus Birch Polypore, the underside of which is as smooth as marble.Older specimens were once used to sharpen razors,hence it's common name of Razor-strop Fungus.