Things are picking up

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a very successful trip by any standards, especially taking into account it's early August - this time in previous years, ceps and other edible boletes used to ambush me left and right and middle. As it happens, after 5 hours' walk I only brought home a handful of chanterelles. But, something is definitely changing in the forest - see for yourself.

Firstly, I found these white fungi, next to an old beech, growing among dead wood. Never seen them before! The closest match in my reference book is Clitopilus scyphoides, but it's not really funnel-shaped, so must be some lookalike.

Next, came a couple of specimens of flaming scalycap growing from underneath a rotting conifer trunk.

Then, some little brown mushrooms, cucumber tuft or something very similar.

After that, some even littler white mushrooms, at whose ID I cannot even give a stab:

And, finally - something edible:

Last but not least, in the darkest and wettest part of the woods, a grey spotted amanita. Its edibility is suspect, and in any case it shouldn't be eaten because of the possibility of confusion with deadly poisonous Amanita phalloides and Amanita pantherina. However, its appearance suggests that the conditions are finally right for larger mushrooms to appear. It probably means that next week I'll finally bring home a cep!

And, just to wrap up, the result of the day:

Small in number, but big and juicy, and I have plans for them which involve rice and wholegrain mustard.

Stay safe, don't eat any strange mushrooms, and I'll see you tomorrow for the recipe!