Today I went on a hike to Muir Woods with my family. Ever since my sister and I started working and going to school it's pretty rare when we all get together for an outing on a weekend. It felt quite nice to be around my family again and I guess I've come to appreciate our time together a lot more since I've moved out. Anyway, back to our morning outing--the last time I went to Muir Woods it was freezing! This time the weather was mild and new growth is already starting to emerge from the ground, so spring is starting. Hooray!
New ferns 
New growth from a fallen redwood
Normally when I venture out I tend to scan the floor in search for mushrooms but I've been pretty mindful of my tendencies and I made sure to look up and admire the redwood trees. I forget how old the redwood forests are, and it's mind-blowing to stand next to a tree that has been standing for almost 800 years.
Of course my adventures would not feel complete if I didn't spot any new mushrooms! I spotted a lot of cool mushrooms as usual, and this time was especially exciting because I got to identify and explain some of the mushrooms we saw along the trail! We went along the Fern Trail this time--a shorter trail but in no way short of interesting sights...
Some itty bitty waxy caps
Cramp balls (Daldinia concentrica)
A small cluster of itty bitty mushrooms
Palamino Cups (Peziza repanda)
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)
A lone, itty bitty mushroom
These two are my favorite of the day--they look like white chocolate sticks tipped with dark chocolate. Mmmmmmmmmmmm....
Clavulina cristata(?)
A coral fungi (Clavariadelphus caespitosus?)
The more mushrooms and fungi I spot, the harder it gets to identify them. There are just so many species, but so far Mykoweb has been a great help to me.
To continue my redwood forest appreciation weekend, tomorrow I am going back to Big Basin with some friends. This time we'll be sure to look at the map!
No comments:
Post a Comment