Nose to the ground

It came on thorain and the dog burrowed into the undergrowth to shelter from the cold drops. I did the same and we crouched under the gorse bushes until the shower  had passed.  I noticed this log, spiky like a porcupine with the ashen wicks of candlesnuff fungus, Xylaria  hypoxylon. It's a common saprophyte that infests  rotten wood, feeding on the polysaccharides  left behind after other fungi have consumed the main constituents.  I thought the name candlesnuff was related to the newly-extinguished appearance of the 'wicks' but it seems the fungus also possesses bioluminescence -  it glows in the dark. (I haven't seen this phenomenon,  it's very subtle and can only be captured photographically with  a light intensifier.)

I'm always fascinated by what can be discovered if you keep your nose to the ground. A lesson to be learnt from dogs.