Forest Fungi!

Questionable Stropharia - Stropharia ambigua

  This week the mushroom population quadrupled!  I'm seeing them everywhere I go!  Identifying mushrooms isn't as easy as it seems!   I've been using two different field guides; All That the Rain Promises and More... by David Arora, and The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada by John Muir Laws.  The book by Laws features approximately 60 of the most common mushrooms in my area.  It has lovely drawings but not much specific information.  The book by Arora covers more than 200 of the most common mushrooms found in western North America.  It features photographs and detailed information on each species.  It also has great information on mushrooms in general.  By using both books, I've been able to possibly "identify" some of the mushrooms in my neighborhood (see photos below).  It's been fun trying, but I still need to learn a LOT!!!  

Rosy Russula (?) - Russula rosacea (?)

Flat-topped Agaricus (?) - Agaricus praeclaresquamosus (?)

Shrimp Mushroom (?) - Russula xerampelina (?)

I am not a hunter/gatherer!  I don't eat the mushrooms I find.  If you want to eat wild mushrooms, you need to be quite thorough in your research and identification before you consume any of them!  

The Arora field guide has several different identification methods to use in the field.  They suggest scraping the surface and observing color changes; cutting the gills to see if liquid seeps out; seeing if the stem snaps cleanly; observing if gills, pores, or teeth are present; and seeing if a veil, ring, and/or volva are present. Additionally, they recommend that you make a spore print at home to be absolutely positive of the species!  In general they recommend that you do NOT eat mushrooms if you're not sure of their identity.  Plenty of mushrooms ARE edible, but some deadly ones look a lot like some of the edible ones!  

If mushrooms seem like something you'd like to focus on, find a local group of fungi enthusiasts!  Hands-on experience is always way better than reading a book!  If you live locally, check out the Fungi Foray next weekend, Dec.9-10.   http://yubawatershedinstitute.org/events

Russula (?) - Russula sp.(?)

                  unknown sp.                                          Conk - Ganoderma sp.   

    

 Pine Spikes (?) - Coral Fung

   Chroogomphus sp.(?) - Ramaria sp.   

                                 

   gill mushroom - pore mushroom 

unknown sp.

During my search for mushrooms, I came across several mushrooms that had been partially eaten!  I did some research and found out that squirrels, mice, deer, slugs and snails all eat mushrooms!!!   I'm not sure which animal ate what mushroom, but it does look like tiny mice (?) bites were taken out of the bottom left mushroom and small slug (?) scrapings were taken out of the mushroom cap on the bottom right! 

I also found out that squirrels can eat poisonous mushrooms and not be affected!  Their stomachs are lined with toxic-compatible glycoproteins (mucous molecules) that bind with the toxic glycoproteins from a mushroom!  This keeps the toxins from being absorbed by their intestinal system and are eventually excreted in their poop!  Wow!

"Fungivory" is the process of organisms consuming fungi.  Organisms that only eat fungi are called "Fungivores"!  The only mammal in North America that is a fungivore (lives solely on fungi) is the Northern Flying Squirrel!  I've never seen a Flying Squirrel, as they are nocturnal, but they do live in our area!   That would be so cool to see one!  I really need to spend a night out in my neighborhood!  Hopefully I will this winter!

unknown mushroom species

Western Gray Squirrel - Sciurus griseus

FeederWatch Update!

Even though I only feed the birds in the morning now, other critters continue to show up at the feeder!  This Gray Squirrel showed up one morning and stuck around for about half an hour, merrily eating sunflower seeds!  I'm not sure how I'll keep all the critters away!  I do make sure to clean off the feeder and table top every morning before I put new seed out.  I'm also raking the ground near the feeder once a week, to prevent accumulation of waste. 

My totals for this week's FeederWatch count are:

15 Steller's Jays

29 Dark-eyed Juncos

1 Spotted Towhee

1 Golden-crowned Sparrow

1 Song Sparrow

(1 Gray Squirrel!)

Columbian black-tailed Deer - California Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus columbianus - Odocoileus hemionus californicus

Mammal Update!

There's a new buck in the neighborhood!  He's a California Mule Deer, as you can see by his tail (above right)!  His antlers are really different than the ones I saw on another buck (photo below)!  The female on the left was traveling with another adult female and a younger female, that I've featured in my blog before.  She is a Columbian Black-tailed Deer, as you can see by her tail.  Mating season should be over soon.  The fawns won't be born until approximately mid-June.  During the winter these deer will travel and forage singly, or in small groups.

California Mule Deer - Odocoileus hemionus californicus

Gray Foxes' summer den

During the summer, this is where a mother fox and her two kits slept!  It's pretty close to our garden.  They haven't been staying there since the weather has become cold and wet.  I've been looking around, but haven't found their new den yet.  We might get a little snow tomorrow, and maybe their tracks will show me the way to the new den!   I still frequently see these foxes in our neighborhood.  I surprised this one yesterday in the middle of the day, as it was feeding on the leftover birdseed near our feeder!  I always feel so lucky to watch them!

Gray Fox - Urocyon cinereoargenteus

  Western Bluebirds - Black Phoebe

Sialia mexicana - Sayornis nigricans

Bird Update!

This week I was up at the cemetery and saw three Western Bluebirds (above left)  perching in a distant tree!  I zoomed in with my camera and got this photo just before they all took off!  They are such beautiful birds!  The one with a rust-colored chest is a male.  During this time of year they are feeding mainly on mistletoe berries!  Mistletoe berries abound in our neighborhood, so hopefully they'll stick around for a while!

The Black Phoebe (above right) has been hanging around our garden lately!  He will probably stay here through the winter, feeding on insects, grubs, and spiders.  It's amazing that they can find enough to eat at this time of year, without being seed eaters!

   Swainson's Thrush - Song Sparrow

Catharus ustulatus - Melospiza melodia

I saw this Swainson's Thrush (above left) in a low shrub this week.  I've never seen one before!  They are not that commonly seen in my area!  He's probably living on berries at this time of year. They do not breed or live here.  They pass through our area on their way to western Mexico, or Central America!  Their song is supposed to be really beautiful!  I hope to hear it one day! 

The Song Sparrow (above right) probably lives here year-round.  They are mainly fruit and seed eaters but supplement their diet with a variety of invertebrates including spiders, snails, and even earthworms!  Their gray and rust feathers camouflage them well in the winter woods!

What kind of spider made this dew-covered web in the grass?

Are the Chickarees making winter nests?

Is the Anna's Hummer still down in the garden?

What kind of fungus is this?

Check back next week for the answers 

to these questions and more!

Your comments and questions are greatly appreciated!

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Thanks!