A most successful hunt (and a toad)

End of July is the time when the forest starts displaying significant edible fungus diversity. I was counting on seeing many different kinds of mushrooms, but certainly not filling the basket. This is normally for August, the high mushroom season. But the recent warm weather, coupled with ample rain has urged fungi to fruit in greater numbers than usual.

The first encounter was a family of humble russulas -

A bit useless in the pot, but always an indication that better goods are nearby

Then some giant chanterelles hiding under heather -

Many more to come this trip!

 A sudden movement in the undergrowth -

Not a deer. Thank goodness for that!

Right next to it, a beautiful cep -

Good enough for a desktop background, not to mention my basket

A lone Amanita, probably rubescens (edible), but the first rule of mushroom hunter who wishes to die of natural causes is as follows: NEVER put an amanita into your basket.

Best left alone

A little bit further into the woods there was a large clearing, partly overgrown with heather, with lots and lots of chanterelles -

These, and about a thousand more nearby - all ripe for picking

These chanterelles were growing under birch trees, so the next encounter was not unexpected -

Brown birch bolete, in perfect condition

As well as the one after that -

Orange birch bolete. Highly unusual to see one in July.

Further on the forest path, a lurid bolete -

Not only beautiful, but also edible after a bit of boiling

And another perfect cep specimen -

Delightful!

Not far from it, some common deceivers. My basket was already full at that point (all those chanterelles!), and in any case they are hardly worth taking due to their small size and lack of taste. Still, they are certainly good enough for a photo -

Lovely colours!

And so the foraging trip ended. The final result is in the photo below. It took me the whole of the next day to process all those chanterelles, and my family has been complaining that the fungal component of their diet has become somewhat overwhelming. But they needn't suffer any more: I got a solution for that. More about it later!

Clockwise from mid-left: slippery jack, bay bolete, four brown birch boletes, six ceps (and a cap), two saffron milk caps, orange birch bolete, lurid bolete and many, many, many chanterelles. A great haul, especially considering the time of year.