Stuck in a Rut

The weather here is stuck in a deep and rather dirty rut, with the wind somewhere between NE and SE, gusting to gale force, a fair amount of rain - hence the busy Golspie Burn - and temperatures which hover around 10C. Not only is this continuing for a few days but the longer-term forecast into November is for more unsettled, grey weather. Joy, joy joy!

The trees in the local forestry have taken a beating, with both deciduous and coniferous suffering, all of which is good news for one group....

....the fungi.

We first started to notice how rich in fungi this area is during the winter of 21/22. I think it was an exceptional year but it was made more exciting by just about all the fungi we found being 'new'. 22/23 seemed much less prolific but this season is looking better. Not that we are finding much that is 'new' but this puffball may be, simply because it's growing on dead wood while....

....most, like these dusky puffballs, grow on grass, often well out in the open.

We've seen this rather dull but delicate fungus before but it's taken me time to identify it - I think it's Mycena inclinata, the clustered bonnet, again growing on dead wood.

However miserable the weather, there's always something looking at the bright side. Hats off to this gorse bush which has decided to skip winter and celebrate the arrival of spring.