It was a nice warm sunny Saturday when I set out for the Beaver Brook Natural Area in Keene and the weather people said it would be sunny all day, but as soon as I got there clouds moved in and decided to stay for a while. Actually the clouds stayed the entire time I was there and the sun didn’t show itself again until I left.
This was the only blue sky I saw the entire time I was there.
But the trail was well packed down and not really as icy as it looks here.
Beaver Brook was roaring. In the summer it giggles and chuckles along beside you but in the winter it roars, and that’s all you hear. Unless it’s covered by ice; when it’s iced over it whispers and is quieter than at any other time.
The brook hasn’t been completely iced over this winter that I’ve seen, but huge ice shelves had formed here and there. You can see how there is nothing under the shelf but air, so it walking out on it would be a foolish thing to do.
The ice shelves had teeth.
I have a lot of old friends living here along the brook, like this smoky eye boulder lichen (Porpidia albocaerulescens.) I see this lichen just about everywhere I go but nowhere else are its fruiting bodies (apothecia) so blue or its body (thallus) so golden. The gold color comes from the minerals in the stone I think, and the blue color comes from the way the light falls on the waxy coating that covers the apothecia. Whatever it is that causes the colors in this particular place, this lichen is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen and this is the only place I’ve ever seen it look like this.
I also stopped to visit the only example I’ve ever seen of stair step moss (Hylocomium splendens.) This is a boreal moss that grows quite far north into the arctic and I’ve seen it here covered with ice, but it isn’t as delicate as it looks and it always comes through winter unscathed. When it’s dry it has a shiny sheen and that’s most likely why another common name for it is glittering wood moss. New growth “steps up” off the midrib of the previous year’s growth and that’s where the “stair step” name comes from. It’s a beautiful moss and I wish I’d see more of it.
The rose moss (Rhodobryum roseum) came through winter looking fine and I was glad of that because this is the only example of it I know of. I did find another small patch on a stone in Swanzey once, but I can’t remember where. It’s nice to know there are more of them out there but I’d still have to call this moss rare. I love its little aspirin size rosettes of leaves that someone thought looked like roses. They look more like dahlias or chrysanthemums to me, but they’re beautiful no matter what we choose to call them.
There were some impressive ice formations on the ledges and I was surprised, because they don’t usually grow so big here. With the up and down weather we’ve had this year though, I probably shouldn’t be surprised by anything weather related.
Last time I came here the brook was flooding in places and it was a downright scary thing to see. The water mark on the far embankment showed just how high the water had been, and I’d guess that it was a good 6 feet higher than it was on this day. I met an old timer up here one day who told me that he had once seen the water over the old road. That’s something I hope I never see.
In places the snow had melted and revealed that there really wasn’t that much covering the road. Since we’re supposed to have warm days all week there’s a good chance that the road will be snow free this weekend.
Where the snow had melted you could see part of the old double yellow no passing lines.
Off on the side of the road a branch had fallen, and it was covered by what I thought at first was milk white, toothed polypores.
But the spore bearing surface of this fungus was more maze like than toothed, so that had me confused until I got home and was able to see the photos. After some searching I came up with what I think is a crust fungus called the common mazegill polypore (Datronia mollis.) It may be common in some places but I think this is only the second time I’ve seen it.
A little further up the road I found another fallen branch that was covered with inch in diameter, colorful crust fungi which I think were young wrinkled crust fungi (Phlebia radiata.) These are winter mushrooms and that’s the only time I ever see them. They aren’t common; I’ve only found them three or four times. As they age the center of the fungus becomes very wrinkled, and that’s where their common name comes from.
There isn’t anything odd or rare about tinder fungi (Fomes fomentarius,) but a closer look at this one revealed something that was both odd and rare, at least in my experience.
There were squirrel teeth marks ( I think) all over one of the colored bands on it. Recently I’ve seen the same thing on a few lichens and have found that squirrels do indeed eat lichens, and I’ve seen them eating mushrooms but I’ve never seen them do this. It made me wonder if it was algae they were after, because algae grow on both lichens and fungi. I can’t imagine what else they’d get out of scraping their teeth over this fungus unless it was to keep their ever growing teeth in check. Tinder fungi are very tough and woody, so maybe the animal was simply trying to wear down its teeth.
Another fallen branch displayed what I thought from a distance were shield lichens but once I got closer I realized they weren’t anything I had ever seen.
They were obviously not lichens at all, but instead some type of hairy fungi.
They grew like bracket fungi and their spore bearing surfaces were maze like and faced outward. Each flower like cluster like the one shown above couldn’t have been more than three inches across, so they weren’t very big. They were pliable and rubbery to the touch, and felt much like an ear lobe. They look very pink to me but my color finding software tells me they’re mostly tan with some peach puff and dark salmon here and there.
They didn’t have to be big to be beautiful and I thought they were very beautiful things, but after looking through 4 mushroom books and spending several hours online I can’t find anything that even looks close to them, so they’ll have to remain a mystery for now. Maybe one of you knows their name. If so I’d love to hear from you.
A path well-traveled may still yield secrets that only one person may discover. ~Anthony T. Hincks
Thanks for coming by.
Lovely to see the water flowing freely over the stones.
It was!
I liked the photos of the brook, but loved the mosses and the smoky eye boulder lichen! I can tell that you spend a lot of time near moving water and love it as much as I do by the way that you characterized the sounds that it makes depending on how much water is flowing at the time.
I hope that the storm that just missed my area yesterday is missing you today, it sounds as if some locations are getting dumped on with snow and high winds.
Thanks Jerry! The storm fizzled here. We got mostly rain and about an inch of it, so nothing serious. I heard that parts of New York got almost 3 feet of snow, so spring might be late there.
I hope you didn’t see much more snow!
[…] Brad of Writing to Freedom and Allen of New Hampshire Garden Solutions. […]
Your mysterious mushroom reminds me of coral on the Great Barrier Reef. I like you quote, and I agree with the comment that this quote applies to you. I often think of your observations when I am looking at trees, or details in the garden.
Thank you. A lot of fungi remind me of corals. It’s funny how nature re-uses certain shapes and colors.
I believe that quote is very true but I think anyone can see the same things I do as long as they can learn to walk slowly. That’s the hard part sometimes.
The smoky eye boulder lichen is so beautiful! I would love to see it one day! I also like that last fungus. I hope you can confirm that it is a crimped gill.
The problem you are experiencing with commenting on Mr T’s blog is just what I have had a couple of times with comments disappearing as soon as I click ‘post comment’. Both times I have got in touch with Akismet and the problem has been dealt with quickly.
Thank you Clare. Yes, I’m fairly certain that the fungus is a crimped gill. I don’t think there is another one that looks like it.
I don’t know much about Askimet but I might have to get a hold of them. Mr. Ts blog is the only one it’s happening on.
The first time it happened to me I clicked on the help and support button at the bottom of the dashboard and followed the links. Eventually, I was passed on to an Akismet ‘happiness engineer’ who at first denied that my comments would be deleted by Akismet but then solved the problem. I kept the Akismet link thinking it might be useful, and it has been!
Thanks for that Clare. I’ll try to remember for future problems.
For now though Mr. T. has found that all my comments were in his spam folder. Why or how they went there all of the sudden is anyone’s guess.
Computers were supposed to make life so much easier!
I’m glad they have been found!
Me too!
Looking closely one finds such beauty. I’m glad you do and share your findings with us!
Thanks very much Eliza, I’m glad that I can!
The mosses and fungi were very interesting to see. I have never seen anything like your final specimen.
Thank you, I’m glad you commented. I’ve been trying to find a way to let you know that I can’t leave comments on your blog any longer. I don’t know if they’re going into your spam folder or not but when I click “send” they vaporize.
I’ll have a look in my spam folder.
I have found many of your comments in the spam folder. I have given them my imprimatur so I hope that that will sort things out.
Thank you.
Your mystery mushroom is Plicaturopsis crispa, “Crimped Gill.”
Thanks very much Alan, I appreciate the help. I’ve never seen or heard of this one.
You’re very welcome. I enjoy every one of your blog posts. In addition to the nature content, I enjoy the railroad history you include.
Thanks again Alan. I’m sure I’ll be on another rail trail before long!
Wow, what a collection of beautiful things. I love the brook and the blue lichens. The fungi is incredible. Who ever said that winter id drab and dull!
Thanks Montucky! You’ll never hear me say that!
Wonderful description of how the brook sounds during the different season.(Or speaks, if you have a fanciful mind the way I do.)
Thanks Laurie. Sometimes it sings too!
The river sings! Love it.
It is just a delight for the eyes to view all the amazing photos you shared today. It would be impossible to pick a favorite. It is especially nice when you describe things, as when you say it is aspirin size or feels like an earlobe. You must be a man with infinite patience. I will certainly spend more time with each photo and informative text in today’s post.
Thank you Penny. I don’t know if I have infinite patience but I have to admit that serious nature study has made me much more patient than I ever was before. You really have to be.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
this blog is my favorite thing on the internet. just now, i m laid up with a broken arm and it’s my window. thanks so much.
https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.js
Thanks very much Cynthia. I’m very sorry to hear about your arm. I hope it heals quickly so you can get out and enjoy spring!
I could almost hear the river roaring. Perhaps because the stream behind my house has become a roaring river in recent days.
That could be it! I’m glad you’re seeing some melting as well.
As ever a beautiful collection of photos.
Thank you Ben.
I always take notice of your quotes, I thought today’s really applied to you.
Thank you Susan. That quote is very true. I think it could really apply to just about anyone who spends time in the woods.
Another really fascinating post. I am so impressed by your ability to identify all the fungi and lichen and by your equally brilliant descriptive writing – love the smoky eye boulder lichen!
Thank you Katherine. It has taken years for me to learn the handful of lichens and fungi that I do know, but there is pleasure in learning and I keep trying.
There aren’t many lichens more beautiful than that smoky eye boulder lichen!