They are on their way!

It's terribly dry at Dancersend Nature Reserve, but there were quite a few species of fungi starting to show on a short walk today. When we do get some rain I think we might experience a real flush to excite the mycologists in the second half of the month. As well as Deathcap and some interesting Inocybe and Cortinarius species (help!), I found four different types of puffball, including this small Spiny Puffball, Lycoperdon echinatum. It was found in deep shade under mature Beech trees on a calcareous bank - the textbook place for it. I'm now preparing to swap the insect guides in my rucksac for fungi guides, though the plant gall guide will be kept for a while yet.