ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Wednesday 10 September 2014

WET ELBOWS AND KNEES. (10/09/14)

I woke about half five this morning after an unusually good nights sleep. I drew the blinds at just gone six and I’m glad I did.

_MG_3541    The view up Glencoe and an airliner. It is a glorious late summer day.

I decided to take the 100mm macro lens and ring flash out for a walk. The dogs failed to find the deer but they did here a stag bellowing on the north side of the glen and a couple of Tawny Owls. They were close but I didn’t see them. I was out for a good two hours or three. It really was a wonderful start to the day.

_MG_3547

_MG_3563     The two images above are Waxcaps. I’m going to go for Hygrocybe chlorophana as the gills are widely spaced. No point in doing a spore print as their spores are white and I don’t have any black paper.

_MG_3551     The spiders had been really busy. There were hundreds of those mat like webs about and I’ve forgotten what weaves them. I did find this Garden Spider. I could have sworn she was facing me when I started to take her picture. Such is life.

_MG_3553      This Flesh Fly was more accommodating. I suspect he was not up to temperature. I ought to have taken a tripod and focus stacked it.

_MG_3555       This is a young Fly Agaric the damn slugs have still had a nibble.

_MG_3561        This is Fly Agaric as well but an old one and about to fall over. I failed to find an in between one.

_MG_3550         Dewy Dandelion.

_MG_3558       Sulphur Tuft growing on a log. I broke a bit off so you can see it’s stalk. I was lying down, recumbent, sorting a good view of these when I was rudely interrupted by a lass from the National Trust for Scotland. It is the first time for a couple of years I’ve been caught prostating in public. She asked if I was alright. I was more than alright she was a film star. I did think of feigning collapse in the hope of her administering the kiss of life but then remembered that I only get one kiss for every five chest compressions. Lucky I remembered. That is my excuse for getting some out of focus fungi in this shot. She took some pictures as well but didn’t lie down. Just as well, I’m too old for such malarkey. She is convinced it’s Honey fungus. She has taken a bit for a spore print.

_MG_3562        I have been seeing these for a couple of days. I was sure that they are Scaly Brittle-head but the stalk is scaly as well. It should be but they should have a little white fringe round the edge of the cap. They are about 2 1/2”or 6cm in diameter.. Their spore prints purple-ish to black but I'm not sure.

_MG_3566  This print was taken using a 50% Glycerine spray on the paper and was exposed for 2.5hours. I was silly and smeared the top right as I couldn't find my tweezers and thought I’d risk it. Glycerine does the job. It’s amazing how far the spores go as the paper has a slight purple tint for inches about.

_MG_3567   This is the same print on a light box. I stuck the paper to the window..Same thing.

I’m going for a siesta as I think tonight may be the night for star trails.

Have fun.

26 comments:

  1. Adrian, I do wish some of your photos were available as postcards. They would be wonderful for things like thank you notes, or just to send to people who appreciate beauty. I so envy you your magnificent surroundings!

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    1. Frances, some are available as postcards.
      They are sold images.
      If you ever fancy a high resolution image then let me know and I'll e-mail it. Then you can do the printing.
      I can find beauty almost anywhere.
      I don't tend to save images though I have thousands I haven't posted. I tend just to bin most after one look.
      Click on them and let me know if you want one for print. They are free to bloggers.

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  2. Really fascinating. The prints as well as the close-ups.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  3. You accomplishes much on your walk, and I'm sure a little wet was worth it.

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    1. John, yes I had a good and enjoyable morning.

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  4. Stayed a night at the Red Squirrel Camp at the end of Glencoe a few years ago. The taps were arranged so it seemed as if tree trunks have springs of water inside them.

    I've heard of spore prints but have never seen any.

    Really enjoy fungi posts.

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    1. Lucy, I'm going to pop over the road tomorrow as it's a better place than this. It's just expensive and has no electricity.

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  5. You collected a good selection of images from your morning walk Adrian. I can see why you needed a siesta, all that laying down on the ground is very tiring....or is it the getting back up again that's tiring?
    I've got a few suggestions for ID's that you may want to check out...for the Waxcaps try looking at Glutinous Waxcap (Hygrocybe glutinipes).
    For the 'scalycaps' try Shaggy Scalycap (Phollota squarrosa) (the spore print for these should be brown).
    I think the NT film star that you met may have got it right with her ID on the Honey Fungus.
    As for the wet knees and elbows, I went out looking for fungi on Tuesday and was surprised at just how dry the ground was in the woods, all I got was dusty knees! And yes, those damn slugs had beaten me to every specimen that I found, I suspect that the Squirrels had played their part as well?...[;o)

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    1. Trevor, the ground is still pretty wet here. Shaggy Scalycap. I suspect the glycerine may be altering the colour. It does look better for an ID. The waxcap I think you are correct. At one time I'd have been content with Waxcap. I am 90% sure it is Sulphur Tuft as ther is no ring on the stem it prints a purple brown and not light brown as Honey fungus does. To add to my convicton I tasted a bit and it is very bitter.

      Yes slugs are a pest with fungi. I've not seen any squirrels here but I would happily blame them as well.

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  6. Sounding very happy Adrian. The eyes on that fly are impressive ~ reminds me of a poster we had in our classroom when I was in Grade 1.

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    1. Carol, it is beautiful weather. I will try and get a fly at 5X. It will really have big eyes then.

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  7. This is a good time of year for fungus. There certainly is a wide variety to photograph.

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    Replies
    1. Red, I love taking pictures of the almost infinite variety and then spending an hour or two guessing what they are.

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  8. Adriaan was early today, tonight, are you sure the nightlife to photograph?

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    1. Bas, I am usually up around five o'clock. Yes I'm all ready to go. There is barely a cloud in the sky so I'm just waiting for it to go dark.

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  9. Great read and photos again Adrian, keep it up.


    peter

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  10. A wonderful post Adrian... I hope you get the skies you want tonight.

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    1. Andrew, it is a good place for idle wanders. I won't have long before the moon rises but it is clearish.

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  11. Beautiful images Adrian, and Trevor, he knows everything.

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    1. Bob, he does. I really ought to stop guessing and just e-mail the pictures to him for the words and music.

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  12. Fascinating images, Adrian. The facts are lost on me but I admire your skill. Hope you have a good night under the stars.

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    1. Pauline, thanks it is only fun. I've just looked at what the movie folk call the rushes and though not perfect I should get a few seconds of video out of them.

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  13. Brilliant day all round by the looks of things, I still find the spores interesting to view. I also like the dewey dandelion and how nice the film star came and checked you were OK, most wouldn't have.

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    1. Douglas over 27C, no wind and no midges worth mentioning.
      She is a Warden or Ranger or something so it's her job to check on folk lying down. They don't like folk flattening the flora.

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