WINTER WALK & FORAY REPORT Sunday, March 13, 2011

Photo: Henry Mann Nature Walk Henry Mann The second Annual Nature Walk and Winter Mush- spring fruiting structures of soft-bodied forms. Spe- room Foray took place at the Pasadena Ski and Nature cies that could be identifi ed by sight were recorded Park on Sunday March 13, 2011, with 21 snowshoe- in the fi eld, while those whose identity was uncertain clad participants. Several preceding days of warm were collected, brought back to the chalet where more rains removed all snow from tree branches and settled careful study and identifi cation were attempted. Sev- the deep snow in the woods allowing easy and enjoy- eral interesting stories were related by the able travel. The weather was pleasant, but breezy and leaders about some of the encountered includ- overcast resulting in little bird activity on the two ing the “High Sugar Mushroom”, Chaga, Iqmik, the hour trek except for Gray Jays receiving their daily Tinder Conk and Turkey Tails. A number of other or- handouts at the ski chalet and the lone call of a wood- ganisms were observed on the woody plants including land chickadee. However, bird presence was readily lichens, mosses, and liverworts. Especially prominent evident along the travelled route including a sapsucker were the Lungwort Lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria), the created bark pattern, Ruffed Grouse droppings, wood- Old Man’s Beard Lichen (Usnea sp.) and the Cushion pecker nest holes, woodpecker bark feeding sign, old Moss (Ulota crispa). One of the participants related a nests, and a nest box previously inhabited by a Saw- story of Newfoundland folk-use of Old Man’s Beard whet Owl. Because of melt and snow crustiness, no for personal hygiene in former woods, prospecting, animal tracks were noted in the area where tracks of and mining camps where Eaton’s catalogues were in hare, squirrel, vole, mouse, shrew, fox, coyote, mar- short supply. ten, otter, caribou, moose, and grouse often abound when snow is fresh and soft. Red Squirrel cone scale middens were common and caribou and fox drop- Upon returning to the chalet, participants were offered pings were noted along the trail. Willow stem galls a variety of home-made soups and desserts. After containing live larvae were observed as well as trees lunch participants viewed a number of mushroom and tunnelled by Carpenter Ants (Emmets). Younger lichen displays and were able to survey the day’s col- branches of maple, birch and dogwood exhibited lections and discuss them with the identifi ers. browsing by Moose and Snowshoe Hare, sharply cut ends by hare and more torn ends by moose. “Bunny buttons” were evident everywhere. Considerable Red The organizers wish to thank the sponsoring/support- Maple, White Birch and Yellow Birch were scattered ing organizations for their encouragement and use of throughout the predominantly spruce-fi r forest along facilities and equipment, including: with other lesser tree and shrub species. Large White • The Pasadena Ski and Nature Park Pine decaying stumps were frequently noted, but the • Foray Newfoundland and Labrador area now harbours only a few remaining living speci- mens of these former giants. Huge old Yellow Birch, • The Humber Natural History Society perhaps several hundred years old, are not uncommon • The Sir Wilfred Grenfell Campus, MUN. in these second growth spruce-fi r woods. Many observations were made of the trees and of other organisms growing on and within their stems and branches. One of the goals of the event was to identify and record all wood decay fungi (“winter ”) located along the trail. Woody and leathery “conks” or fruiting bodies of fungi and similar forms were frequently noted as we wound our way through the woods. Previous days of warm rainy weather had also brought out some of the early

Photo: Andrus Voitk

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: HENRY MANN Photo: Henry Mann Bunny factory: bark goes in, buttons come out Chickadee—heard, but not seen

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk The whole team, almost Pine cone willow gall on—you guessed it—Salix

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Henry Mann

Lungwort lichen Squirrel midden Photo: Henry Mann

Cushion moss on white birch Photo: Maria Voitk

Team I

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Henry Mann Team II Burl I,

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk

Old sapsucker holes Burl II, deciduous Photo: Maria Voitk

They dragged down the average age

Photo: Henry Mann

Photo: Maria Voitk Woodpecker holes in mushroom rotted wood, Heartrot & emmets I big enough for owls

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk

Heartrot & emmets II Heartrot & emmets III mushroom winter foray Andrus Voitk

Photo: Maria Voitk As last year, saprobes, primarily tree-rotting poly- recorded last year were not seen and 14 new species pores, were the most common fi nds. Last year at were identifi ed. Although the tallies were similar, it this time we had had intermittent thaws for a month, seems several corticates went unrecorded last year, resulting in a large profusion of actively growing spe- because we could not identify them. Perhaps we just cies. This year we had more snow, colder weather, and looked more diligently; as mentioned, most of our only 4 days of thaw. As a result, far fewer species were fi nds were either dead or dormant conks. actively growing. Still, the call of imminent spring Of these, Phellinus species were well represented, as is powerful, and even in this short interval, several was Fomes fomentarius. Of the smaller shelf fungi, mushrooms had begun to grow. The most beautiful of Plicatura nivea, Plicaturopsis crispa and Panellus these was the small versicolor (turkey tail) stypticus were fl orid on alder, while many collections that had formed small fruiting bodies on a small birch of abietinum were noted on balsam fi r. twig (above). Despite the difference in weather, we Many collections of Exidia species were seen. recorded 29 species, 1 more than last year! 13 species

Aleurodiscus amorphus on bark of dead balsam fi r caused some confusion for a while. This is a basidiomycete, not ascomycete, i.e. not a cup . Looks like Lachnel- lula agassizii, but the colour is more orange to red and the fruiting bodies fuse into each other. May also be confused with Peniophora from afar, but wrong host and Peniophora fully resupinate (attached to the

Photo: Maria Voitk host like a skin), not stalked. Species list with number of collections (an imperfect indicator of commonness)

Species 2010 2011 sanguinolentum 2 Aleurodiscus amorphus 2 1 Amylostereum chailettii 1 1 Cerrena unicolor 21Trichaptum abietinum 12 Chlorociboria sp. 1 1 Cyphellopsis anomala 51Tyromyces chioneus 1 Dacrymyces chrysospermus 12 Daedalopsis confragosa 1 Dibotryon morbosum 21 Exidia cartilaginea 1 Exidia crenata 3 Exidia glandulosa 24 Fomes fomentarius 21 Fomitopsis pinicola 1 sepiarium 1 Hapalopilus nidulans 1 Hymeochaete tabacina 12 Hypoxylon fuscum 1 Inonotus obliquus 3 Laeticorticium roseum 1 Melampsorella cayophyllacearum 3 Panellus fuscoviolaceus 1 Panellus stypticus 22 Peniophora erikssonii 2 Phellinus igniarius sl 1 Phellinus laevigatus 11 Phellinus lundellii 11 Phellinus prunicola 12 Phellinus punctatus 1 Inonotus obliquus, or chaga. All three we saw Piptoperus betulinus 2 grew in old yellow birch. The crumbly black mass Plicatura nivea 15is not the fruiting body, but a sclerotium, where the fungus stores food during its initial good years Plicaturopsis crispa 32 of growth and nutrition in the fresh and uncon- Polyporus arcularius 1 sumed host. As the host becomes consumed, the Polyporus brumalis 1 fungus draws on the food in the sclerotia. These Pyrenomycetes many many eventually “dry up” completely, leaving big scars Spongipellis unicolor 1 on the dead or dying trunk. Aesthetically of lim- ited appeal, it would be totally ignorable, were it 2 not for its reputed healing powers. Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Phellinus prunicola on standing dead pin cherry Exidia crenata, invariably on Acer spicata. Hymenochaete tabacina on dead standing alder. trunk. Identifi ed to species by host tree. Shape reminiscent of Auricularia.

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Henry Mann Plicatura crispa, very common on standing Exidia glandulosa on dead alder. Fomes fomentarius, tinder or hoof fungus, on dead alder. yellow birch.

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Daedalopsis confragosa, last year’s mushrooms Orange paint remnants in trail blaze—collected Trametes hirsuta on dead standing deciduous on dead standing alder. as an exotic slime mould. wood. Note algae on upper surface of cap.

Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Photo: Maria Voitk Plicatura nivea, common on dead alder. Corylus cornuta, beaked hazelnut nut. Last Trametes versicolor, pore surface. See title ban- year’s photo, but need to fi ll space. ner for upper surface. International Year of the Forests Nature Walk mushroom& winter foray Sunday, March 13, 2011

Report can be downloaded from Sponsors / organizers:

Interpreters: Henry Mann Andrus Voitk

Photo: Maria Voitk

Henry Mann, the cheerful chief. Front cover illustration: horsehair lichen and old man’s beard.