Eastern Scarlet Elf Caps
I didn’t expect to find these in the sugar bush this early. They’re out a full month earlier than last year.
Here’s one good reason I hesitate to identify mushrooms. Last year I got it wrong when I identified these as Sarcoscypha coccinea. They looked identical to what my field guides had but the field guides were a bit lax. After doing a bit of on-line research this time I found out S. coccinea is a western species found only in the Pacific Northwest. Sarcoscypha dudleyi or Sarcoscypha austriaca are the eastern species. No way I can tell them apart though.
These are early spring mushrooms that grow on rotting hardwood. Around Canton, NY they seem to prefer wet spots and Maple.
Shame on the National Audubon Society’s Field Guide to Mushrooms (North America) for leading me astray. Simon and Schuster’s Guide to Mushrooms was no better. Even my trusted Peterson let me down. Not one of my field guides mentioned the difference between them and their range.
They all look virtually the same. To see the difference between the species you need a microscope. So really, you can’t blame me for being wrong. It’s my field guides’ fault. But if you want to rub my nose in it you’re welcome to go to last year’s Scarlet Elf Caps post and leave a comment.
Thanks to the Mushroom Expert for setting me straight.
Something else came up early this year. The wild leeks – Allium tricoccum are sprouting. I didn’t make a note last year when they sprouted but I was harvesting the on the 1st of May.
Won’t be long before I can make garden fresh stone soup with some flavor.
ARRGH! the porcupine spotted me before I had a chance to get close enough for a photo. It would have been a great shot of it climbing the tree but by the time I got there it was already in it’s hidy hole.
Guess I have to call it quits on the winter porcupine count. They’ve started to roam from their winter lodgings and I can’t be sure who’s who any longer. I made it to 7 confirmed sightings this year. This is #3 or #4, it’s hard to tell since this maple had 2 dormers in it.
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March 15th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
I love the photos – nature is way more interesting than television…
March 15th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Beautiful Elf Caps! I haven’t seen any Elf Caps in person, although we do have a lot of brown cup fungi, that look somewhat similar, but not nearly so colorful. So sorry you missed the porcupine shot…maybe he’s a little bashful. Still makes for an intriguing photo though!
March 15th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
LOL, that is the same angle I get most of my photos of my cat Fiona, who really enjoys messing with me! I love the mushrooms, by whatever name. I have similar problems IDing some birds from books.
March 16th, 2010 at 6:38 am
I love to see wild leek sprouting. It is lively.
An old man needs this sometimes.
March 16th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
No paparazzi, he seems to be saying. I can’t believe you just find porcupines roaming around LOL!
March 16th, 2010 at 11:25 pm
I love the picture of the porcupine in his hidy hole! I have never seen a wild porcupine. Lucky you! This looks like a great blog. I will visit again.
March 17th, 2010 at 7:48 am
Dear Mr. WiseA**
That first picture made me automatically think of a broken egg .. I wonder what that implicates about my brain thinking on those terms ? DUH ? LOL
Hey .. some times we just get it wrong .. you can’t be perfect all the time even though you think you are ? LOL
Your shots are amazing .. and the porcupine was just a little camera shy ?
Joy : )