A day out at Alice Holt Forest Park...

[NickCantle]

Well, it seems that it's time to tell everyone what I found today on my outing. I was supposed to get up at 9am to catch the train at 10am, but I kind of errmmm uhh...Slept in? So I ended up getting the 11.57am train ... I just took the time to explore areas that I'd never really looked at before. Found lots and lots of Clitocybe Nebularis as you'll see in the images below. Nice specimens too. The amount of Amethyst Deceivers that are popping up everywhere is astounding. I think i'll take the basket there next week and fill it with them. My French friend wants to see them and he's hell bent on finding Horn Of Plenty too, so we're going to go hunting for them. I've told him that they aren't all that common, but I can still see the excitement in his eyes! I think mushroom season is at it's prime right now. Here you are...

Species List - Alice Holt Forest Park - 13/10/07

Agaricus xanthodermus
Amanita citrina
Amanita muscaria
Amanita rubescens
Boletus chrysenteron
Calocera viscosa
Calvatia excipuliformis
Clitocybe nebularis
Coprinus comatus
Coprinus domesticus
Coprinus micaceus
Cortinarius purpurascens
Hypholoma fasciculare
Laccaria laccata
Laccaria amethystina
Leccinum scabrum
Lycoperdon perlatum
Paxillus involutus
Phallus impudicus
Russula cyanoxantha
Russula emetica
Russula marei
Russula ochroleuca
Scleroderma citrinum
Suillus luteus
Xylaria hypoxylon
Xylaria polymorpha

I know for fact that there were at least three times more than this...but most were extremely small. A few unidentified in there too. Now for some images to document the day...

First significant find of the day for me...Clitocybe Nebularis. A nice one for my album.


I stumbled across this fella whilst on the route to the forest park.


My third or fourth attempt to get a nice shot of this beautiful fungi. Still not that pleased with it, but it's without a doubt an improvement on my earlier submissions


Capturing the details on a puffball with the Sigma 105.


Well weren't these just asking to be photographed? I thought so


A first for me...Maybe due to their size. These are really small, but the detail is fantastic up close.



To end this post and wrap the day up...One of our favourite mushrooms.


Sorry the post was so long, but you'll get used to me making giant posts. I'm keen on writing a recollection of my day as it helps me remember it in the future and I like keeping you all up to date.

Nick

[Stewy]

Nice finds Nick, I was out today and found me first Cep of the season so things could be looking up, also picked a nice handful of Chanterelles which was nice.

[NickCantle]

Cheers Stewy. Glad things are looking up for you your end mate! Any photos of the Ceps or Chanterelles. I came home with 10 or 11 Shaggy Inkcaps to be eaten tomorrow. Yummies rule PHOTOS STEWY!!! PHOTOS!!!

Nick

PS That reminds me, got to go and find that photo of your huge basket full of Ceps!!!

[NickCantle]

Good enough to eat Stewy! Lovely. I love the tiny Chanterelles, they are packed really tight and full of fruity flavour

[cybershot]

Good show Nick and well documented. A great appetizer and I'm looking forward to our meet up with Mike at Alice Holt. Chaka and I had a lazy day in the build up to England's match against France but we are going to Virginia Water this morning en route to lunch with my daughter.

David

[Mikeakabigman]

Thats an impressive list of finds Nick, coupled with some great shots. At this rate you'll know more of the hotspots than I do, and I live in the forest
When you say forest park, do you mean the area surrounding the visitor centre or did you take a much wider route ?

[goosey]

Hi Nick, it looks like you had a good day out and some grat images to prove it. I hope you are as fortunate when you take your French friend.

These small orange fungi look like some I found in a pot with some geraniums in the garden a few weeks back - I don't know if it is of any help but these were ID'd for me as possible Gallerina sp.

[NickCantle]

Hey Goosey, thanks for your kind comments. As for the ID, i'm positive it is Laccaria Laccata - The Deceiver.

Nick

[sarah64]

Lovely pics Nick. Alice Holt sounds like a really good spot. We did see a nice Fly Agaric today, they are great aren't they.

Hey good luck with the Horn of Plenty hunt. I've never found one.

Glad you found a cep Stewy, that bodes well for the Bay Boletus I'm after. I don't mind if I find the odd cep too of course!

[NickCantle]

Thanks Sarah, Alice Holt is massive, so there's plenty of variety in both fungi and foliage. I've not come across any Ceps or Bay Boletes there so far. I found a Red Cracking Bolete yesterday though...and a Slippery Jack.

To answer your question Mike, I literally walked from Bentley train station heading towards the forest park...I was near the visitor centre at one point, then I wandered into some bushes and emerged about 5 miles away I love getting lost. It's great. I'll be able to point out some good spots when we foray soon

Nick