Gaps in the prolonged showers.
Just to keep us on our toes, some of the basidiomycetes look just like ascomycetes or discomycetes. This is Lachnella alboviolascens on a dead Meadowsweet stem. Size? about 1 to 2 mm diameter. Only a couple of Irish records.
I suspect I could find dozens of species that live on the dead soft tissues of this year's growth. Look out for Lachnum and Mollisia species on fallen Pine, etc. cones, beech mast and Horse Chestnut.
This looks like a Crepidotus, but has white spores. On dead Ash, about 8 mm. diameter.
The Raspberry flowers continue to appear.
But this year's leaves are now falling or dying. This one is covered in a fungal rust.
And no great surprise, given the mild weather: new growth on this year's stems.
The Willow leaves only fell last week, and already the new buds are formed and are even beginning to green up.
Someone has been cutting the branches of these Willows all summer. Please leave some on each plant during the summer and autumn.
These Goat Willow specimens are actually very interesting. They are cut to the ground every second year. The vigour created by this drastic pruning results in enormous leaves. This is, of course, ideal for the colony of Nematus pavidus sawflies that feed on them.
A nice shot of a very common fungus at this time of year: Xylaria hypoxylon - Candle Snuff fungus.