New Year's resolutions!

[solus]

1. To photograph all the fungi and possible fungi I find - after all, with digital it doesn't cost anything and they can always be deleted later! The reason being that recently I seem to have "ignored" or overlooked things when out thinking they were something I'd seen before, or were "past it" or not fungus at all, then back home, flicking through Jordan or looking at the Gallery pics have discovered that I "missed" what would have been a new variety.

2. To buy (and remember to carry with me) a small hand lens to help my poor old eyes see those minute fungi better (or at all!) Today I photographed some very tiny Lachnum brevipilosum and looking at the pictures later discovered I had also photographed Mollisia cinerea which I hadn't even seen at the time! Yesterday I picked up then dropped a tatty old beech mast then realised (after I got home) it had actually been hosting some rather nice Beechmast Candlesnuff (Xylaria carpophila) which I'd failed to recognise. At least on a return visit to the same woods this afternoon I managed to find some more of that!

Oh - and yesterday, while I was laying on a slight slope beside the path trying to get a reasonable shot of some Velvet Shank at the base of a tree while not blocking the last of the sun's rays with my shadow, it would appear I frightened the life out of two girls walking by who thought I was a body!! (Himself had wandered off a bit and returned when he heard them coming along the path and said their horrified faces were a picture!!)
Tee hee!

[sarah64]

Sound like good resolutions Solus and I love the story about the frightened girls. Naughty you frightening the natives like that.

[NickCantle]

Definitely good ones there Solus.

I have two resolutions in the fungi world this year;

To find a way to record my finds methodically and accurately so I can input very accurate information into the ABFG's CATE database. That includes taking specimens home to dry to send down to Dorset as voucher material. When you're in the mood for a fungi hunt, sometimes it's loads of effort to get serious about recording. I'd like to do this but not lose the fun from a fungi walk

and

To learn as much as I can from the wonderful people on this site. To meet more of you and enjoy strolling through the woods looking for fungi!

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

Definitely good ones there Solus.

I have two resolutions in the fungi world this year;

To find a way to record my finds methodically and accurately so I can input very accurate information into the ABFG's CATE database. That includes taking specimens home to dry to send down to Dorset as voucher material. When you're in the mood for a fungi hunt, sometimes it's loads of effort to get serious about recording. I'd like to do this but not lose the fun from a fungi walk

and

To learn as much as I can from the wonderful people on this site. To meet more of you and enjoy strolling through the woods looking for fungi!

Hi Nick

How are you doing with your resolutions?

I'm just battling with learning how to set up an Access database to keep tabs on all the data I've got. I've been very good at collecting the data and recording and referencing it, and keeping specimens, but it is the indexing and cross-referencing that I've got to get working properly ...

Melanie

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

Hi Nick

How are you doing with your resolutions?

I'm just battling with learning how to set up an Access database to keep tabs on all the data I've got. I've been very good at collecting the data and recording and referencing it, and keeping specimens, but it is the indexing and cross-referencing that I've got to get working properly ...

Melanie

Melanie
I don't know how far down the road you are but
British Fungi - MycoRec has done most of the work for you

Mal

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by flaxton

Melanie
I don't know how far down the road you are but
British Fungi - MycoRec has done most of the work for you

Mal

Thanks very much for that Mal, I've just checked it out, and about to download it now, see what is on there. Luckily they are still on Access 1997 - so am I. And I hadn't got that far down the road with the database, but at least have got a bit of a feel for how it works now.

Melanie

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

Thanks very much for that Mal, I've just checked it out, and about to download it now, see what is on there. Luckily they are still on Access 1997 - so am I. And I hadn't got that far down the road with the database, but at least have got a bit of a feel for how it works now.

Melanie

I think you will be impressed even if the Checklist is not quite up to date.

Mal

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by flaxton

I think you will be impressed even if the Checklist is not quite up to date.

Mal

Yes, it is excellent. Though as always I've started tinkering with it .... enlarged the font size for starters, and made the background easy-on-the-eyes grey ..... And worked out how to incorporate hyperlinks direct to my folders with photos in. I'd have been working on it for years to get it to that level of detail if building it up by myself! I'm very glad I posted and got your reply .....

It looks as if you can update the checklist. I'll do that before properly entering data, just in case I blow it and have to start again ....

If anyone else is looking to properly store their records, do check it out, it seems easy to use too. There isn't any real need to tinker with it, unless you are like me (an architect), and appearance is everything and you hate Times New Roman, and you're determined to give yourself unnecessary work ..... But if you want the fungi common names you're going to have to add them in .....

Now I just need a robot to dry, label and store the fungi ... Any offers?

Melanie

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

But if you want the fungi common names you're going to have to add them in .....



Melanie

Melanie
Glad you like it. It certainly makes life easier and gives you the incentive to input all the relevant information.
With all the flak I give to the English (not common) names I have to admit I have added them to the DB (well my son did)
Mal

[cybershot]

For comparison purposes the ABFG Recorder which I use for creating my .xls fungi record files on Access contains a macro with very handy drop down menus for many of the data categories; simplyfying the input procedure to the maximum:



It's been tailor made for a number of my own regular locations for which it automatically enters the relevant data

Well worth a look in my opinion.

David