Double Snowdrops by Blue House

These are by the tree.

Nothing down the trail in the snowberry bushes. 

Pussy Willow Bush

A few pussies on this tree. 

This was Feb. 10.

I cut a few stems and put them in water. 

Tree by Pond

Big chunk of a tree on the ground.

This tree had a large nest hole.

Moss on Log - Dicranum Scoparium

Dicranum Scoparium

On a log near Schmitz entrance. 

Common name - broom moss, broom fork moss, native. 

Waterfowl on the Pond.

Lots of mallards and wood ducks.

January 26, 2024

Feb. 10, 2024 lots of waterfowl.

Mallards, wood ducks, etc.

Mallards had very orange legs and feet. 

Mosses - Homalothecium Nuttallii

Nuttall's climbing moss.

Climbing moss (Homalothecium nuttallii) is a species of moss that belongs to the family Bryaceae. It is native to North America and can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Climbing moss is a small, creeping plant that grows in thin, delicate strands and is known for its ability to climb up trees, rocks, and other surfaces. 

New Fungus - Brown Jelly Fungus - Leafy Brain Fungus

Stereum hirsutum on a dead oak log.

Leafy Brain, Tremella foliacea grows on dead wood that has been attacked by the wood-rotting fungus Stereum hirsutum, commonly referred to as Hairy Curtain Crust. Stereum hirsutum, shown above, is a conspicuous and very common species whose fruitbodies can be found throughout the year; this is the fungal host upon which the jelly fungus Tremella foliacea feeds.

Upper and under side of this mushroom on a log. 

It is a jelly fungus Tremella foliacea eating a hairy crust fungus.

Another one nearby. 

Apple Tree - Turkey Tails

Turkey tails cascade down this apple tree limb.

Tree is leaning badly.

Upper side of these crusts. 

Lots of Daffodils Also Showing.

 

Daffodils popping up. 

First Snowdrops

I uncovered these by the steps today. 

Pink Rhodofomes

This pink rhodofome is turning more pink.

Also called rosy polypore.
Widely distributed in North America's conifer forests, Rhodofomes cajanderi is a tough polypore with a gorgeous pink pore surface and, when fresh and young, pink shades on its cap surface. The caps are generally fairly thin, and often fused together, forming a structure in which individual caps are hard to define. This distinguishes it from the Rhodofomes roseus, which is very similar, and also prefers the wood of conifers, but tends to develop more clearly separated, hoof-shaped caps; it also differs microscopically: its spores are straighter, and it lacks cystidioles (large cells).

The underside is fascinating. 

This is what it looked like December 23, 2023.

White and Orange Lichen

Trentepohlia is a genus of filamentous chlorophyte green algae in the family Trentepohliaceae and is a rusty orange color. 

Brownish Red Crust on Dead Oak Trees

Crust fungus fuscoporia polypore.

Also called cinnamon polypore.  Cinnamon porecrust. 

Synonymous scientific name Phellinus ferreus, phell- meaning cork, while the suffix -inus denotes a superlative, therefore very hard texture.

Fallen Tree Again

This one is on the cross trail.

Another fallen, not as fresh. 

This is another near the above, at base.

This is a young tree near the shooting star hill. 

Fallen Fir

This tree is near Schmitz entrance toward to Villages.

 

Paths in the Snow

We had a very light dusting of snow.

The snow enhances the pathways. 

24°

Another Fir Tree Broken

The broken top on the ground by the Walden field. 

Where it broke.

Broken tree on left of clump.