As always, fungi IDs are tentative. These have been identified by our very knowledgeable leader.

Yesterday, 29 August 2020, it took a whole morning of bush-whacking on rather treacherous ground to find just a few fungi. Our leader says this is one of the worst years for fungi that he has known. Exactly what I was thinking myself. We had been so hopeful after last year's mushroom season - the most amazing year that I can remember.

A small group of us met west of the city, wearing masks and socially distancing ourselves. So many people use this whole natural area, especially cyclists. The speed with which many of them travel on the trails makes it quite dangerous at times for those who are on foot.

After the walk/hike, a Trails Person approached two of us and asked if we would be willing to answer a 10-minute survey (done on his cellphone). By the time we had finished chatting, it had taken much longer, but it was quite interesting. I was ready to drive straight home after the long morning's walk.

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As always, fungi and lichen IDs are tentative. These have been identified by our very knowledgeable leader.

Yesterday, 29 August 2020, it took a whole morning of bush-whacking on rather treacherous ground to find just a few fungi. Our leader says this is one of the worst years for fungi that he has known. Exactly what I was thinking myself. We had been so hopeful after last year's mushroom season - the most amazing year that I can remember.

A small group of us met west of the city, wearing masks and socially distancing ourselves. So many people use this whole natural area, especially cyclists. The speed with which many of them travel on the trails makes it quite dangerous at times for those who are on foot.

After the walk/hike, a Trails Person approached two of us and asked if we would be willing to answer a 10-minute survey (done on his cellphone). By the time we had finished chatting, it had taken much longer, but it was quite interesting. I was ready to drive straight home after the long morning's walk.

© All Rights Reserved

As always, fungi IDs are tentative. These have been identified by our very knowledgeable leader.

Yesterday, 29 August 2020, it took a whole morning of bush-whacking on rather treacherous ground to find just a few fungi. Our leader says this is one of the worst years for fungi that he has known. Exactly what I was thinking myself. We had been so hopeful after last year's mushroom season - the most amazing year that I can remember.

A small group of us met west of the city, wearing masks and socially distancing ourselves. So many people use this whole natural area, especially cyclists. The speed with which many of them travel on the trails makes it quite dangerous at times for those who are on foot.

After the walk/hike, a Trails Person approached two of us and asked if we would be willing to answer a 10-minute survey (done on his cellphone). By the time we had finished chatting, it had taken much longer, but it was quite interesting. I was ready to drive straight home after the long morning's walk.

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As always, fungi IDs are tentative. These have been identified by our very knowledgeable leader.

"The mushroom's common names refer to the gastrointestinal distress they cause when consumed raw. The flesh is extremely peppery, but this offensive taste, along with its toxicity, can be removed by parboiling or pickling. Although it used to be widely eaten in Russia and eastern European countries, it is generally not recommended for consumption. There are many similar Russula species that have a red cap with white stem and gills, some of which can be reliably distinguished from R. emetica only by microscopic characteristics.

As its name implies, the sickener is inedible, though not as dangerous as sometimes described in older mushroom guides. The symptoms are mainly gastrointestinal in nature: nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, and colicky abdominal cramps. These symptoms typically begin half an hour to three hours after ingestion of the mushroom, and usually subside spontaneously, or shortly after the ingested material has been expelled from the intestinal tract." From Wikipedia.

Yesterday, 29 August 2020, it took a whole morning of bush-whacking on rather treacherous ground to find just a few fungi. Our leader says this is one of the worst years for fungi that he has known. Exactly what I was thinking myself. We had been so hopeful after last year's mushroom season - the most amazing year that I can remember.

A small group of us met west of the city, wearing masks and socially distancing ourselves. So many people use this whole natural area, especially cyclists. The speed with which many of them travel on the trails makes it quite dangerous at times for those who are on foot.

After the walk/hike, a Trails Person approached two of us and asked if we would be willing to answer a 10-minute survey (done on his cellphone). By the time we had finished chatting, it had taken much longer, but it was quite interesting. I was ready to drive straight home after the long morning's walk.

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As always, fungi IDs are tentative. These have been identified by our very knowledgeable leader. The mushrooms in this photo were growing down in the base of a tree. After the leader had pulled them for ID, I placed them at a higher level on this fallen tree.

Yesterday, 29 August 2020, it took a whole morning of bush-whacking on rather treacherous ground to find just a few fungi. Our leader says this is one of the worst years for fungi that he has known. Exactly what I was thinking myself. We had been so hopeful after last year's mushroom season - the most amazing year that I can remember.

A small group of us met west of the city, wearing masks and socially distancing ourselves. So many people use this whole natural area, especially cyclists. The speed with which many of them travel on the trails makes it quite dangerous at times for those who are on foot.

After the walk/hike, a Trails Person approached two of us and asked if we would be willing to answer a 10-minute survey (done on his cellphone). By the time we had finished chatting, it had taken much longer, but it was quite interesting. I was ready to drive straight home after the long morning's walk.

Tags:   Alberta Canada W of Calgary West Bragg Creek Fungi Foray #2 nature forest mycology fungus fungi mushroom mushrooms Hypsizygus tessulatus placed on fallen tree macro close-up trees outdoor summer 29 August 2020 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2020 © All Rights Reserved

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