This Week in the Woods, keep an eye out for nature’s fireworks. All this recent rain, combined with a forecast for hot, muggy days, has set up perfect conditions for fireflies.
In the meantime, we encountered this rain-soaked chipping sparrow next to a patch of shrubs in a field. Given how much it complained about our presence, and the way that it escorted us several yards down the trail, it was probably guarding a nest. These common summer sparrows place their nests fairly low – perhaps human head height – on the outer ends of branches. Although you’ll often see chipping sparrows feeding on weed seeds in early autumn, in summer, like most other songbirds, they often eat insects. Chipping sparrows make a number of sounds, but they get their names from the one-note, high pitched calls they make as they hop around the bushes.
Many ferns are producing spores now, and the appearance of their fertile fronds varies significantly among species. The fertile fronds of Christmas fern resemble the plant’s other, sterile fronds, except that the top leaflets curl to expose their spores.
As expected, warm, wet conditions have set the stage for a mushroom bonanza. Although individual species identification is often next-to-impossible (and in many cases, would require inspecting spores under a microscope), basic mushroom types are easier to figure out. Here are four types we’ve been seeing frequently during woods walks.
We found this crust fungi, probably crowded parchment fungi, Stereum complicatum, covering a log. Crust fungi often grow on wood in abundant groups, either flat against the surface of the word or in thin, bracket-like ruffles, as shown here.
Coral fungi, as their name indicates, look like they should be growing under the ocean. They show up in mid-summer and remain through mid-autumn. Most are white, tan or orange, darkening as they age, but bright purple corals also show up sometimes, which is always an exciting find.
Sturdy-bodied bolete mushrooms (also called fleshy pores) are another fungi type that is popping up frequently now. These mushrooms are distinguished by the spongy (pored) undersides of their caps, and these caps often have a potato- or thick pancake-look. Boletes are loners - they often show up singly, in pairs, or at most in widely spaced, small groups. Many have stubby stalks. Our best guess is that the one in the photo is a frost bolete, but there are several similar-looking species.
Finally, for intensity of color, it’s hard to beat wax caps. We’ve seen a number of bright orange, red and yellow species out in the woods this week. Although they aren’t all of the same genus (and aren’t as closely related to each other as once thought, based on recent genetic studies), wax caps are distinguished by slimy caps and thick, waxy gills. The mushrooms in the photo are probably Hygrocybe cantharellus.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.