Fungi Recognition

[Ogri the trog]

Help me out Guys & Gals,
I've spent the last week searching for Tinder fungus, Horses Hoof fungus and Birch Polypore. So far I've drawn a blank.
I have driven miles and walked for hours among some of Mid-Wales finest, I've seen Birch from 3 foot high saplings to mature examples, healthy specimens to fallen decaying trunks. The only fungi to pop into view so far are tiny blobs of black (that look like splashes of road tar) which I'm guessing might be Cramp-balls and very small, coin sized, grey brackets which might turn into Horses hoof in a few years. Most of the trees in the locality appear to be very healthy but having read that the fungi is supposed to be commonplace, I'm starting to think that I'll never find any.
Am I looking at the wrong time of year?
Is my location, being 1000 feet up in the hills, way outside the normal growing area?
Is the fungus more likely, near to a water source?

I've seen google images of mature examples of those mentioned, but I can't find photos of immature fungi-lets, can anyone point me to a site that has such photos?

The only good thing that has come out of the search is that I now know where there are some really good Birch Burl's that I'll keep in mind for when landowners are felling the hosts.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

Ogri the trog

 

[Tantalus]

Ogri these are all mythical fungi and dont really exist

They have been included in books only to confuse and frustrate people



OK I am only kidding, I think it is your technique that is wrong, yes i know that sounds even sillier, but fungi are so unpredictable that it is virtually impossible to say one particular location WILL produce one particular fungus

My suggestion is not to give up completely, but to keep your eyes open and keep on wandering, sooner or later some fungus will appear, probably when you least expect it.

I have spent afternoons wandering fruitlessly only to come home and find my garden full of something really special like birch polypore

Other good places for spotting fungi are trains and or motorways , when it is absolutely impossible to stop and investigate.

And of course some of the best specimens grow on busy roadside verges where pollutant levels make them totally inedible.

Instead of concentrating on one or 2 particular fungi, I now just go tramping through woods and fields and surprisingly I come home most days with something to show for it.

I swear they know when someone is looking for them and wait until they have passed to pop up out of the ground.

Enjoy the walk and dont worry, they will appear sooner or later

Tant

 

[Ogri the trog]

Tantalus,
Yep, you're right - I'll save the file in the mental "pending" pigeon hole and wait till the inevitable happens.

Mind you, you nearly had me hooked for the first two lines of your reply!

Thanks for your vote of confidence though, it happens that way for most of my ideas - I just though I might strike lucky with this quest.

Ogri the trog