Author: David Mitchel

We are still assessing what we can and can’t do regarding forays. At the moment we won’t be partaking in any public walks. We may be out on a few private walks with only the small number of regular participants and taking all social distancing measures, but these will not be advertised or open to members of the public attending. We will also be waving any membership fees for this year due to missing half the year so far and reduced activity. Anyone who paid last year will have their membership run on in 2020.

68 new photos have been added mainly from the NIFG Facebook forum and the atlas has been updated with new species records. Remember the species distribution maps can be clicked on to show a species list for that 10km square and if you see new species for that square, please send us your records!

Our foray list for 2020 is currently suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. We will look at holding forays later in the year if we are advised that it is safe to do so. For the latest information, check our Forays page or our Facebook Events page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthernIrelandFungusGroup

We have had to bring the Traad foray forward to this Saturday. This site is an open shooting site for duck etc and as the shooting season is opening on the 1st September the site will be flooded with hunters itching to get out. This doesn’t bode well for several people walking through bushes and causing disturbance.

So we are going to bring the Traad foray forward to this Saturday so we are there before the season opens.

Details are below for directions.

Travel from your location to Toome. Enter the village of Toome itself onto the B18.
If coming from the North west, you’ll come in past the Elk bar/restaurant.) ON the B18 BEFORE you come to the bridge over the Bann you will turn Right onto the Creagh Rd.
From the East, Nth East, coming off the new carriageway, take the first turn you come to into Toome. Follow through the village and crossing the bridge & pass the petrol station, Take the next Left onto the Creagh rd.
Continue straight through the industrial area.
Take a left onto the Aughrim Rd and continue on across the river and take the next left onto Ballyronan rd. Continue on for 2 miles, (Road becomes Shore rod past a crossroads. Continue straight. pass St. Treas Primary school.PASS Lough Rd.. When you see the AOH hall on your left take the next left onto Point Road. Theres a small advertising board on the top of the telegraph pole on the end of this road.
Follow to the near end of the road and the road turns right through some hedges and splits. Take the LEFTHAND split and follow to the end. (the right hand split will lead your to peoples houses and no parking!) there is a small layby on your left before the marina carpark and the private marina carpark.

Starts at 11am. See details at our Foray page

Three outstanding books on parasitic fungi in Wales have been published and can be bought at most bookshops but also freely downloaded at the University of Aberystwyth Waxcap website. Whilst concentrating on Wales, they are of interest to any mycologist in the British Isles. Give a copy to your botanist friends to suck them into the world of micro-fungi! Full marks to Ray Woods, Arthur Chater and their teams. And another one on Downy Mildews is to come!

Rust Fungus Red Data List and Census Catalogue for Wales

Smut and Allied Fungi of Wales

The Powdery Mildews (Erysiphales) of Wales: An identification Guide and Census Catalogue of Wales

The AGM is organised for the 20th April at Oxford Island Discovery Centre, Rear education Room).  It will take place from 12.30 to 4pm.

We will meet a bit earlier for those wishing to have some lunch in the cafe, around 12pm and have a catchup natter or meet (for the new members) everyone in an informal setting.

Our meeting will start from 1pm to 4pm.

We will have our usual layout, discussing any issues or topics from the previous year, or those of interest for 2019, organising the Residential weekend and of course the all important Foray Timetable.

So far there is a long list of possible fantastic venues for 2019.

Everyone is welcome, whether you are a seasoned member of many years or a recent member or are just thinking of joining, maybe you’ve been absent for a few years and would like to get back out again..

There usual £10 membership fee will be collected by Chris Stretch, Group Treasurer, on the day (or at the first available foray you are able to attend)

The Kew Lost and Found project has produced all sorts of exciting finds. The project website includes a summary of species to look for each month and the February one can be viewed here.

Another thing that could be done is re-examine any dried specimens of Entoloma bloxamii, one of the target species. Entoloma bloxamii has been split into 4 species – E.bloxamii, E.madidum, E.ochreoprunuloides forma hyacinthinum and E.atromadidum as described in Field Mycology last year. Following this, two of my records, one from Donegal and Clear Island were redetermined as E.madidum. We are bound to have it in Northern Ireland and spore size can help separate it from E.bloxamii. One of my finds from Wales was also determined by Kew as E.atromadidum. 

Keep up to date with the Lost and Found project on their Facebook page

This is an important document that provides a framework for helping decide if a site should be a legally protected for its fungal interest or not. The document can be downloaded at the JNCC website.

The NIFG Website that you see now was launched today. I hope you like it and find things that interest you. If you find any issues or broken links, please contact me at david.mitchel@nifg.org.uk