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dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A selection of some of the bonnet #Fungi found this weekend. #FungiFriends #Moss #MossMates #Lichen #LikenLichen
2 different species of bonnet fungi grow on the mossy bark of this living conifer tree. The orange capped one in the foreground obviously stood out and attracted me to this scene. The white capped fungi in various states of decay in the background made for an interesting scene. A pair of bonnet fungi sprout from the bark of this Douglas fir tree. They're surrounded by a couple species of lichen and moss. This was one of my favorites and a scene I really regretted not bringing my DSLR to capture. The guttation on the moss sporophytes was really interesting even if not all of them were in focus. Even with supplemental lighting my depth of field slice was too narrow to get everything. I tried shifting a little bit so the bulk of them were in the same focus plane but they were still too spread out and the lighting on the drops was far less pleasing. A lonesome bonnet fungi sprouting from a red alder trunk.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A few Russula #Fungi popping through the duff, taking their #MossMates for a little ride. #FungiFriends
December 24, 2025 at 4:18 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A couple more shots from today of the Red Pinwheel, Marasmius plicatulus.

And a bonus candid of Winston keeping a lookout yesterday while I had my nose in some coral.

#MossMates
#FungiFriends
#Fungi #Nature
#SlimeMold
The stem of the plucked larger mushroom extends to the right out of frame but because of the stitching, and my having not captured that stem in focus, it appears to just disappear and blend into the photo. This is a composite of 29 images taken with my Canon 70D DSLR camera stitched together with the software Helicon Focus. I'm figuring out efficiencies and tricks that's making taking these pictures remain fun and not be too tedious. The final result is a lot of fun and makes it worthwhile IMO. Another red Pinwheel all by its lonesome. This is a composite of 17 images. Photo taken with my phone camera. I'd left my DSLR at home for yesterday's short lunch walk and after finally getting into focus stacking with it I wasn't as enthused with any of the pictures other than this one. I went back today but got distracted by the Red Pinwheels. Another shot of the Leocarpus fragilis slime mold on a Red Pinwheel, Marasmius plicatulus.
December 3, 2025 at 5:59 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
This was a fun find today!

I believe these are Insect-egg slim mold, Leocarpus fragilis, hanging out on the upper reaches of the stipe of this likely Red Pinwheel fungi, Marasmius plicatulus.

#FungiFriends
#SlimeMold #Fungi
#Nature #Moss
#MossMates
The stipe of this Red Pinwheel fungi is a dark burgundy from emergence to cap. Just a little distance below the cap is a grouping of 21 visible insect-egg slime mold that are a nice dark amber coloration and attached to the stipe by stems that appear to be around the same length as the length of the fruiting body. Back to the fungi, The gills are an off-white and don't appear to be too crowded. This is a composite focus stack of 15 different images taken with my Canon 70D DSLR
December 3, 2025 at 5:37 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
I had some fun upping the drama a bit, by playing with daytime supplemental lighting yesterday.

#FungiFriends
#MossMates🌱
#Nature #Moss
#Fungi #Drama
Using supplemental lighting in daylight can make for some dramatic scenes like this one where the subjects and only a little of their surroundings bed of moss is spotlighted with the Salal bushes in the background only just visible. An overhead view of the same scene. The same cluster of 3 Mushies looks so much different in this scene vs image 1. Here, they are the one who knocks! You can feel their judgement as they exert their authority here, whereas in picture 1 they almost looked to be quaking in their boots. It's funny how turning your head askew just a smidge can really release the tension in a scene. Compared to image 1 this scene almost appears whimsical. Still a dramatic gap between the cluster and the loner but maybe it no longer feels insurmountable.
April 1, 2025 at 12:26 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
This 1st one has to be my favorite Lichenomphalia umbellifera so far!

#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#Nature #Curly
#Fungi #Lichen
#MossMates🌱
This has to be my favorite Lichenomphalia umbellifera yet! I am still baffled that these are actually lichen and not just fungi. Look at those curls! The lichen in the 3rd picture can be seen here albeit very blurry to the right of this lichen's cap. The same lichen as seen in image 1 but with its entire stem visible. There are 3 additional very blurry lichens in the background here. The lichen just right of the cap of this one is image 3. Image 4 can barely be made out in the top left here. The 4th lichen is also to the right of the cap, just above where the moss meets the root. A smaller and I assume less mature lichen growing on the same bed of moss as the lichen in the 1st 2 pictures. The singular lichen in image 4 can be seen here in the back left close to the tree trunk. The final lichen and I believe the only photo with only 1 lichen in it. I did find another 10 about 5 feet to the right but I believe they are obscured by the Salal bushes there. These are so much fun to find!!
March 31, 2025 at 3:07 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A couple of observations from today's walk in the forest. 🌱📷🍄

#Nature #Fungi
#MossMates
#LikenLichen
This salmonberry flower will hopefully one-day soon be a tasty treat. A couple of fungi hanging out on the side of the trail were witnessed heckling passersby today. They really just wanted someone to notice them, so I gave them a few minutes of my time. A very old decayed Red Belted Conk, that looks to have survived at least 4 growth cycles was rotting away here after apparently fallen from an adjacent dead standing tree. This lichen in the genus Peltigera was going to spore on the trail today.
March 27, 2025 at 10:28 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A few more observations from this month.
🌱🍄📷

#DecayBoquet #Fungi
#Nature #MossMates
I submit to you my first decay bouquet! Thanks Endless! iNaturalist wanted to say these were devils urns, Urnula craterium, but those aren't known to be found around here on the west coast of the US. So I'm assuming they are some sort of related look-alike. These were growing from a dead stem but another was found just down the way growing on a living root strand. This witches butter, I believe to be Tremella mesenterica, was found growing on the underside of this fallen branch. I'm down to eat other jellies but this one is a non-starter for me. This cutie was on the same tree as the 4 Lichenomphalia umbellifera I found earlier this week. They overshadowed it at the time, but I thought this one still deserves some spotlight. This dead red belted conk, Fomitopsis pinicola, has been invaded by a couple of species. The white cloud-like fungus I'm familiar with, but the "hairs" growing out of the fruiting bodies are new to me.
March 27, 2025 at 4:48 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A couple of observations from our brief morning walk.

#FungiFriends 🌱
#MossMates
#Macro #Fungi
Western Red Belted Conk, Fomitopsis pinicola, getting its Guttation on this morning. It was found on the same log but a few feet over from the conk in picture 2. Western Red Belted Conk, Fomitopsis pinicola, ideally said in a Fargo Minnesota accent, at least in my head it is. This one was observed on the same log just a few feet to the left of the first one. This likely Summer Lupine, Lupinus formosus, sprout was definitely carrying some water today. Bartramia pomiformis, the common apple-moss. There are so many different varieties of mosses out there that I was just never aware of.
March 26, 2025 at 10:41 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A few more observations from this evening's bonus walk.
📸1&4: This old Mushroom with a bonus Winston!
📸#2: It's my lucky day! I should play the lotto...another Lichenomphalia umbellifera!
📸#3: Feisty fern putting 'em up.

#LikenLichen
#FungiFeiends
#FightingFern
#MossMates
#ALTtext
This old guy has seen some things. An old Fomitopsis pinicola or Western Red Belted Conk is seen growing on this decaying log. It most certainly started growing when the log was at a different orientation as they are pretty particular about their orientation. I'm assuming the log was propped up to the right and turned like 90 degrees away when this guy was growing many years ago. I believe each one of those bands seen here are a year or season worth of growth. At least 6 periods of growth from my count. I'd love to find out how long it takes to get to this stage. Having never found a single one of these special guys in my life and then to find them at 2 parks! It really made my day. So adorable, I hope I never stop finding them now! Is it just me or does this fern look like it's rearing for a fight, with the 2 lower immature fronds acting as it's arms held up guarding and the center frond being the head ducking and super oddly shaped. Poor fighter might need to get that checked out. I've heard of cauliflower ear but this is on a whole other level. The super mature red belted conk from picture 1 is seen here in the lower left corner of the image. Winston stands guard in the top right while his silly papa, who insists on stopping nearly minute to take pictures of every freaking mushroom we pass scopes out the aforementioned red belted conk, or Fomitopsis pinicola, which you must pronounce using a Nordic accent. Better yet, Fargo Minnesotan.
March 26, 2025 at 4:08 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Bonus evening stroll today resulted in some shots of mainly lichen, moss and a snoozing Pacific Banana Slug.

#LikenLichen
#MossMates
#FungiFriends
#SleepySlugs
I love the successional trumpet lichen. A Juniper Haircap moss, Polytrichum juniperinum. Fun fact, found on every continent including Antarctica. This one may look likely but they had plenty of family nearby. A field of moss, so to speak. More trumpet lichen with growths starting on the rim of their trumpets. Pacific Banana slug all scrunched up and napping in the duff. I left them be, get your nap on little buddy.
March 26, 2025 at 3:36 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Turkeys, bonnets and butter, Oh my!

#FungiFriends #Fungi
#MossMates #Macro
#NaturePhotography
Look at those furry turkey tails! I wish I had gotten a better profile picture showing the entire stump because it was a gorgeous sight to behold. But these tiny babies here and the fluffy inner portion were still fantastic to see. Same stump as 1st picture but these were on the backside of the stump in relation to the 1st. Love that banding! Look at this little kinky bonnet fungi growing out of some moss and grass. This witches butter was a little further along for my taste but I honestly have yet to try this variety as it is nowhere near as appealing to me as the orange jelly or cats tongue fungus that have firmer fruiting bodies.
March 18, 2025 at 9:52 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
So many varieties of lichen to scope out on just this one fallen tree limb. Including lots of fruiting bodies.

#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
There are at least 3 varieties of lichen represented here. The lichen in the top center, with the fruiting body structures, known as apothecia, are from the genus Hypogymnia. The lichen with the strands seen at bottom left is Usnea filipendula, or the fish one beard lichen. I believe the leafy looking lichen on the top left portion of the stick is some ragbag lichen. More fruiting body structures seen here from the lichen in the Hypogymnia genus. Several tufts of fishbone beard lichen can also be seen on the stem along with a dark patch of moss. It's a busy picture with lots of variety. A closeup of some of the fruiting body structures of this lichen in the genus Hypogymnia. Same stick but different lichen with a different type of fruiting body structure. The orangy brown caps are the fleshy tops for this lichen's Apothecia.
March 18, 2025 at 12:29 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
In honor of St Patrick's Day I'm posting 6 videos of pans of lichen and moss seen on our morning walk.
Video 6/6
#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
#SeaOfGreen
#Nature #Macro
March 17, 2025 at 8:12 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
In honor of St Patrick's Day I'm posting 6 videos of pans of lichen and moss seen on our morning walk.
Video 5/6
#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
#SeaOfGreen
#Nature #Macro
March 17, 2025 at 8:10 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
In honor of St Patrick's Day I'm posting 6 videos of pans of lichen and moss seen on our morning walk.
Video 4/6
#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
#SeaOfGreen
#Nature #Macro
March 17, 2025 at 8:08 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
In honor of St Patrick's Day I'm posting 6 videos of pans of lichen and moss seen on our morning walk.
Video 3/6
#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
#SeaOfGreen
#Nature #Macro
March 17, 2025 at 8:07 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
In honor of St Patrick's Day I'm posting 6 videos of pans of lichen and moss seen on our morning walk.
Video 2/6
#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
#SeaOfGreen
#Nature #Macro
March 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
In honor of St Patrick's Day I'm posting 6 videos of pans of lichen and moss seen on our morning walk.
Video 1/6
#LikenLichen
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
#SeaOfGreen
#Nature #Macro
March 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Some striking bonnet mushrooms seen on today's walk in the woods.

#FungiFriends#MossMates
#Fungi #Lichen #Nature
This striking bonnet mushroom with some frilly edges under its gorgeous golden domed cap with light brown stripes. The stipe is a dark brown coloration. That lightens in coloration as it gets near the cap. The backdrop of this photo is the forest floor of a mixed forest with lichen, moss and ample leaf/needle litter. These bonnets were perched atop a log overlooking the forest. Not sure what happened to the friend that's vent over but it provided a perfect shot for the cap and gills of this pair without even having to disturb them.
March 15, 2025 at 12:00 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A couple of observations from today's walk in the forest.

#Lichen #Nature #Fungi
#FungiFriends #MossMates
These are so furry! The inner portion of this mushroom is significantly darker than the edges which are more cream colored. They're shaped like a handheld fan 🪭. A couple of empty birds next fungi next to a newly emerging jelly cup fungi. The rims of the bird nest fungi are always so furry, they're absolutely adorable. Haven't a clue what this newly emerging plant is. Unfortunately my time spent with it was cut short as another person came up along with their dog and I had to corral Winston a bit. He's so friendly but because of his size he can be intimidating, he's definitely a lover not a fighter. I loved the shape of this moss, it reminded me of a Gecko's footpad. Lots of lichen also seen here amongst the moss growing on this decaying tree stump.
March 11, 2025 at 5:14 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Look at these tiny little buggers sprouting out of the moss!

So adorably tiny!!

#ForestFloor #Fungi
#Macro #Nature
#FungiFriends
#MossMates
This adorable bonnet mushroom is losing in front of some also adorably tiny pine cones. All surrounded in a field of neon green moss. This one was plucked from less than a foot away from the first mushroom pictured and was the same size as the first picture. (Note, I had to use my middle finger for comparison as my other nails were absolutely hideous and filthy. So this is actually a picture where I'm flipping off the camera, and technically anyone that observed it. But please know, it was done for love of fungi. I hope there are no hard feelings.)
March 11, 2025 at 4:07 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Look at this turkey tail! Gorgeous view at a local stream to help cleanse your timeline.
#FungiFriends
#Nature #Fungi
#MossMates
March 7, 2025 at 6:56 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Conk's galore!

Check out these Red Belted Conks at various stages of development as seen from yesterday's walk.

#NaturePhotography
#Macro #Fungi #Nature
#FungiFriends #MossMates
Look at that Guttation....so clear the mushie has to be drowning in water as it's light on metabolites. A more mature red belted conk that's incoporated a pine needle on its edge. A super fresh Conk that's finally exhibiting it's characteristic red and brown cap but with a stark white underside and edges. Note the tiny little bird nest fungi to the right of the log near the lichen.
March 6, 2025 at 7:15 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Some of the interesting tiny fungi observations from today's forest bathing session.

#Nature #FungiFriendd
#MossMates #Fungi
This fungi, in the Lachnellula genus, was growing on a conifer tree that was struggling. Apparently the genus is associated with cankers which makes sense as I believe that dark patch may be that and not just resin. The small spider silk to the right of the bright yellow, with a dimple, fungi helps to give perspective. Some moss and possibly lichen is also seen growing on the bark of this tree. I with I had realized the fungi in the foreground had a droplet resting on it but I didn't. The small one at the bottom is in better focus with tiny little droplet hanging out. These tiny almost transparent fungi almost had me tricked assuming they were tree resin weeping out. But nope, that's a cap and a stipe. Bonnet fungi! With the freeze and snow most of these had been long gone but this one either freshly sprouted or somehow survived on this stump I found it growing from.
March 5, 2025 at 3:27 AM