R: An Amanita as big as me??
Today I was in the South Bay to have lunch with my dad, so I made it a Day Trip Day and ventured out to Wunderlich County Park for some quality Naturing. This park has been of interest to me ever since I got to know Woodside better, as part of being down there so often back in my Theatre in the Woods days. But I never got around to visiting. Today was the day!
I tried out the Bear Gulch, Redwood, and Madrone Trail Loop on AllTrails. And, SHOCKINGLY, it was Easy in my opinion. That pretty much NEVER HAPPENS when a route is marked as Moderate on AllTrails!
These days, it’s all about the FUNGI for me. And this route proved to DELIVER.
What caught my eye almost immediately after I started out was a crazy sun-bright lichen-looking thing on some small tree branches on the ground. Golden-eye Lichen? Reminded me of the stuff I saw on the Lichen Bioblitz up on Simmons Trail on Mt. Tam. Just SO GORGEOUS. And those EYELASHES!
In addition to all the delightful mushrooms (that are yet to be IDed on iNat), I got my first sighting of Early Spring Flowers. Both Milkmaids and Pacific Hound’s Tongue were blooming. And both kept me company throughout much of my time there. Oh, and I also got to see pretty Warrior’s Plume, too! I love the first flowers of the year.
As was expected, I didn’t see much in the way of birds. But aside from the never shy Dark-eyed Juncos (love them), I heard Acorn Woodpeckers and a Bewick’s Wren and Chesnut-backed Chickadees and a couple Northern Flickers. But the nice surprise was hearing TWO Pileated Woodpeckers. I was never able to see them, but I heard them. And I heard one flippin’ FLYING OVER me above the tall Coast Redwoods. They are THAT BIG. The Merlin app didn’t seem to think they’d be in the area. But THEY WERE. I know what I heard.
Especially fun finds were a Russula of some sort, Black Witches’ Butter, some small speckled mushrooms growing right out of horse droppings (!), beautiful Stinking Orange Oyster, some Western Jack-O’-Lantern, among others.
But the FIND OF THE CENTURY was something I almost missed. I was walking along and happened to look to the right to catch sight of what I thought was a FAKE MUSHROOM behind a tree. It was SO BIG. Like comically large. As if someone brought a home decoration from their garden and placed it there. I got closer, and I still thought it was fake. Got even closer, and I touched it. And it was FLIPPIN’ REAL AND SO RIDICULOUSLY LARGE!!
I foolishly didn’t give it the proper photo shoot it deserved. I took only ONE flippin’ photo before I carefully plucked it. The cap was starting to split, so I had a good feeling it wasn’t going to get any bigger. And had likely done a decent amount of spore releasing. The base had a couple of small bugs run out from underneath somewhere, so it was likely on its way out. And I HAD to get more images to get it IDed. And to PROVE IT WAS REAL.
Seek thought it was a Parasol. But iNat believes it to be AN AMANITA. As psyched as I was to just FIND IT, this is INCREDIBLY EXCITING. I had NO IDEA that another Amanita could top the size of the mighty Fly Agaric!
As much as I wanted to take it home, wrap it in a blanket, and keep it forever, I knew it had to stay. So I left it. Amazing self-restraint, YEP.
I was pretty much high the rest of my time there. I’m still high.
About when I realized I should’ve seen at least ONE Banana Slug, I started to see them. Counted three. Always good luck to see them.
Also spotted the shell of what appears to be Nicklin’s Shoulderband Snail. Newtome and so pretty.
At one point, I came upon the end of a tree log that had THE MOST INTRIGUING display of what might be Gilled Polypore? It was like an art project. Wished I could’ve taken that home with me, too.
Got to a spot called Salamander Flat, which is a small reservoir pool that is now home to Rough-skinned Newts. Sadly didn’t see any. But nice to know they’re there.
Spotted a couple more fun Fungi then realized I had to head back soon since the park closed at 5pm. Way too early. On my way back, I was getting close to the beginning when I heard A HOOT. Oh, YES. Yet another confirmation that practically every park of decent size has at least one resident Great Horned Owl. If the park had been open later, you know I would’ve stuck around to find it!
So, Wunderlich. Pretty good Fungi Finds! And that route will be sheer JOY once more wildflowers are in bloom. Hope to return for it. Til then, I’ll enjoy the indelible memory of finding the LARGEST MUSHROOM EVER FOR ME TO DATE!!!
