The day was cool with a cold breeze; the sky was quite clear with a bright sun.

CAR PARK

At the junction of Low Road and Tinkers’ Lane leading up to the reserve, I spotted five immature Coprinus comatus (Fig. 5.0) and a singular grass species (Fig. 5.1).

At the main car park I found the decaying remains of the Coprinopsis atramentaria from week four and some Coprinellus disseminatus along the path to the railway crossing.

ENTRANCE AREA

At Reception, I found very blackened Agaricus from previous weeks and after entering the reserve, I found two Parasola plicatilis in tall grass and a little further along Stropharia.

On the way to Basecamp I saw the same large white fungi from week four, some orange fungi on a log (Fig. 5.2), followed by a cluster of brown fungi (Fig. 5.3).

BASECAMP AREA

On the same log from previous weeks was a larger group of Tricholomopsis rutilans as well as the same large group of Laccaria laccata.

Nearby I spotted the Tubifera ferruginosa from week four where the remaining peach-pink mass had turned brown.

Under matted bramble I found a group of Hypholoma fasciculare on a log and then a large beige species further along the path (Fig. 5.4).

Behind Basecamp, on the path to the railway line, I went to visit the ivy covered tree stump that was covered in Psathyrella piluliformis.

In the vicinity I found some Tremella mesenterica (Fig. 5.5).

THE DELL

In and around The Dell, I found a Xerocomellus species (Fig. 5.6), a bolete species under a circular log pile (Fig. 5.7) and some bolete fungi which appeared to have been parasitised by Hypomyces chrysospermus (Fig. 5.8).

I also found Mycena rosea in two major groups (Fig. 5.9), a large green capped species (Fig. 5.10), an immature white species on it’s own under the trees — possibly an Amanita (Fig. 5.11) — a trooping species on a log (Fig. 5.12) and a slime mould Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Fig. 5.13).

Xylaria hypoxylon was widespread (Fig. 5.14).

SANDY-GLADE AREA

In the wooded area at the end of the drainage channel, I found another Leccinum scabrum (Fig. 5.15).

An exciting discovery was that the “stalk” fungi we had seen some years ago on a visit to the reserve — later identified as Typhula juncea (Slender Club) — were growing in this wooded area (Figs. 5.16) as well as an orange club, possibly Clavulinopsis luteoalba or Clavaria amoena (Fig. 5.17), and a white Clavaria species (Fig. 5.18).

In this wooded area I also found a purple fungus with yellow fur (Fig. 5.19) — possibly juvenile Armillaria — and a now fully red Picipes badius.

YEW GROVE AREA

Continuing along the woodland trail, I saw a grey capped, pink fleshed fungus (Fig. 5.20), a flock of a pink furry fungi, which may have been fully matured Armillaria fungi (Fig. 5.21), then another Xerocomellus species (Fig. 5.22).

OUTPOST AREA

At The Outpost I saw the broken remnants of the Amanita Muscaria from week four.

Back on the trail, I saw a few more Auricularia auricula on the same log as in week two.

TRAIL END AREA

On the way to check on the the Phallus impudicus eggs from week four — they were still in their egg form — I saw some small Fuligo septica (Fig. 5.23), followed by a yellow Russula ochroleuca (Fig. 5.24).