R: Questionable Stropharia?
Today we visited Lake Lagunitas for the first time. It’s been on my list for a while, along with Bon Tempe Lake. And after spending a lovely night at the Pelican Inn with Aoife and Erwin, we ventured to Fairfax for some Naturing at a lake.
But, it’s late. So let me sum up.
The lake is so charming! Perhaps due to all the yellow leaves and reeds and ferns and whatnots. But there was a delightful assortment of fungi and fauna we got to enjoy there.
Acorn Woodpeckers and American Robins dominated the start. Followed by a Green Heron, some noisy American Coots, and Hooded Mergansers. Spotted some kind of Oyster-looking Fungi growing on a thin tree trunk. A Gray Buckeye butterfly happened to fly right in my view, which I got to show an interested couple that stopped to see what we were peering down at the ground for.
Saw a good amount of fungi, like the adorable Questionable Stropharia and Pinkedge Bonnets (?) and Golden Conecaps (?) and that weird fuzzy stuff (Typula?). Plus a ton of Turkey-Tail.
Three American Wigeons were on the lake. Wish we’d been able to seem them closer-up since we have maybe only ever seen them once before? And not up-close? And the largest group of Wood Ducks I’ve ever seen. It was like a Wood Duck ARMADA. 15, maybe??
More Acorn Woodpeckers and a Northern Flicker we heard so well and never got a good look at. Western Gray Squirrels and Columbian Black-tailed Deer rounded out the end.
But, GET THIS. Brian caught sight of something swimming in the lake toward the big tube thing. North American River Otter!! It swam to the end of the tube and quickly got inside! Absolutely unexpected surprise.
All in all, I really enjoyed the loop around the lake. I’m intrigued by the nearby trails and the super nearby Bon Tempe Lake. This whole Tamalpais Watershed place is quite enchanting! Looking forward to returning.
The Afternoon Naturalist 