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dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Dusty McDusterson (He/Him) 🍄
@dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
2.3K followers 800 following 2K posts
I post🍄🌲🪴pics taken on my daily hikes w/ Winston
The forest is my happy place & helps regulate my PTSD
Lefty atheist 🖋️📸 mycophile INFJ
Former USAF weather forecaster turned enviro-scientist
MS in Geoscience
Real conversation w/ compassion
Gaza=Genocide
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dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Dusty McDusterson (He/Him) 🍄 @dustymcdusterson.bsky.social · 15d
Exploring the midnight #KingTide at #TwanohStatePark was fascinating.

One of my favorite sightings was watching this Purple Shore Crab, Hemigrapsus nudus, burying itself in the sand.
#LowTide #Crabs #Nature
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Pacific Golden Chanterelle, Cantharellus formosus and bonnet friend.

Found hiding out in a Douglas Fir dominant forest all by their lonesome, but mere feet from a large cluster of Winter Chanterelle.
#FungiFriends
The side view of a Pacific Golden Chanterelle, Cantharellus formosus. All those tiny little black specks are frass.
November 25, 2025 at 1:44 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Winter chanterelle are finally here!

Craterellus tubaeformis, also known as the trumpet/funnel chanterelle or yellowfoot.

Smells like Parmesan after dehydrated.Yum! 🤤

#FungiFriends #Fungi
#EdibleFungi #Foraging
A big cluster of Winter Chanterelle popping under out from under a large heavily decayed decaying, I assume Douglas fir, trunk. Found in a moss dominant "understory" forest with predominantly Douglas fir and the occasional madrone. Very little understory with only a smattering of salal here and there. Lots of pinesap and orchid and oh so many mushrooms, everywhere you look. Another grouping of winter chanterelle in the same forest. These have hollow tubes for stems and shallow gills that are decurrent and don't extend down to much further below the cap. A pair of winter chanterelles. There are usually singles and couples scattered about and a good sized cluster or 2 to be found in patches covering a 30x30ft area. The larger gatherings typically are found in depressions or growing out from under heavily decayed wood like in image 1.
November 24, 2025 at 4:26 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Pinecone Mushroom, Auriscalpium vulgare, also known as the ear-pick fungus.

At first glance they appear to be growing out of the ground, but as the name suggests, follow the stem and you'll find a pinecone buried 1-2 inches down in the duff.

I love their ❤️ shaped fuzzy caps!

#FungiFriends #Fungi
A mouse eye view of the ear-pick fungus with the many perfect white teeth doing their thing and spreading spores. A perfect brown fuzzy heart. Looking from above with the cap completely obscuring the stem. The fuzzy cap has loved edges that were fun to play with in the light.
November 23, 2025 at 5:51 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Look at these gorgeous gills! 😍
#FungiFriends
November 23, 2025 at 5:10 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
We've had some decent storms recently that have knocked down lots of lichen covered branches.
This tube lichen from the genus Hypogymnia was one of my favorite finds so far.
Look at the size of those apothecium!
#FungiFriends #lichen #Fungi
November 22, 2025 at 2:27 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Fairy Fingers, Clavaria fragilis, also known as White Spindles.

Found earlier this week on a walk at the office.

#FungiFriends
Fairy Fingers, Clavaria fragilis are long slender white fungi that grow out of the ground in clusters. Seen here growing amongst the grass along a trail. The fingers tear fairly easily when pulling on them. A close-up of an adjacent grouping of the same species Fairy Fingers, Clavaria fragilis. This is a closer look at a cluster seen in the far left of image 1.
November 22, 2025 at 2:02 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
I believe these are Cinnamon Webcap, Cortinarius cinnamomeus. They're absolutely stunning in person, the pictures don't do them justice. Found on our afternoon adventure in the forest today.
#FungiFriends
A wide shot of the grouping of Cinnamon Webcap, Cortinarius cinnamomeus. There are 4 total specimens in the shot, a pair of what look like twins with their caps fully extended to Umbonate form. Another in the center is having a rest on its side after having been plucked from about 4 feet away and placed here between these. The 4th is younger and still in its immature bell form. The gills are a bright cinnamon/ochre color that really stands out The stipes start out a light brown color and lighten up to cream by the time it reaches the cap. The twins with their plucked flush-mate. A view of the caps of the twins. I love the way the color of the cap changes from a brown in the center to a light yellow nearly cream color along the edges of the cap.
November 21, 2025 at 3:22 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Speaking of Springtails.

This emerging Amanita was absolutely covered in them, with nearly all fungi in that part of the forest being mobbed by Springtails.

Unless I was super careful, like with this one, they'd all go "springing-off" as soon as I crouched down to scope them out. #FungiFriends
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Wanna see a magic trick?

I present the magnificent levitating springtail!!

Apparently they can walk on water, which I'm assuming is due to surface tension and not magic...but one can dream. 🪄
#FungiFriends
This springtail was just hanging out walking around on water that had pooled in the depression of this mushroom's cap. The water was at least 2x deeper than the body height of this little fella. A fungi maggot is barely visible just left of this cutie that was fully submerged in the water. It looks like a little white tube with a darker head located about 3/4 of the way toward the first pine needle. A closer view of the levitating springtail.
November 20, 2025 at 2:36 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Spores galore!

Playing with a group of Candlesnuff Fungus, Xylaria hypoxylon from our lunchtime walk today.

#FungiFriends
November 20, 2025 at 2:01 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Amanita mysteries...

📸1/2: When cut open the center of their stems had a fluffy fibrous center.
📸3: Such a cute little egg.
📸4: Booping a fluffy cutie.
#FungiFriends
I believe this cutie is a Coccora, Amanita calyptroderma. Apparently edible but so closely resembling deadly and toxic Amanita that were found growing nearby. I collected a few to help hone my ID skills but want to do more research to confirm the presence of a fibrous semi-hollow center is a fool-proof ID method. I don't mind splitting every mushroom in half prior to cooking. I have to do that with all my chanterelles, split them in half manually to confirm they're string cheesy texture vs hollow and crumbly like the false-chanterelle. I believe this was another Coccora, Amanita calyptroderma. And a bonus mycena! Trick question, it's an Amanita and nearby were Amanita calyptroderma, but not enough information at this stage to be able to positively ID. Check back later... Sorry, another goose egg due to its maturity level and stature. It was so cute I couldn't bring myself to disturb it more than giving it a little boop. I'll try to check back on it later this week.
November 18, 2025 at 3:55 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A couple of observations from this weekend.

Pacific Banana slugs feasting on mushrooms are always a joy to witness.

A lonesome mycena and some fresh Birdnest fungi in the shape of a dog bone.
#FungiFriends
A heavily marked Pacific Banana Slug munching down on a russula fungus. A Hungry Pacific Banana Slug munches down on an Amanita species. A tiny mycena stands among the mosses. It had a pale grey near translucent stipe. A dark grey cap that fades to lighter grey and finally white that rims the edges of the cap. These new Birdnest fungi that have yet to lose their cap and expose their spore satchels, grew in a unique formation that reminded me initially of a dog 🦴 but could also be a bowtie.
November 17, 2025 at 6:34 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
I broke out the ol' DSLR for our extended forest time today. I failed to factor in a screw-on filter, that meant the photos came out underexposed. The results after adjustment still made it worth the hassle of lugging around the extra gear.

I believe this is a Surprise Webcap.
#FungiFriends
Winston lying down on his bed of moss with a moss covered stump for his pillow in the soft afternoon sunlight that's barely filtered through the overcast clouds that lingered for most of the day. He's ever so patiently waiting while his dad crawls through the muck and understory and intermittently becomes enthralled with those silly mushrooms he's always prattling on about with strangers we meet in the forest, when he really should be telling them to give me pets and treats if you have them. I believe this is a wacky form of the Surprise Webcap, Cortinarius semisanguineus. Dramatically lit with dual LED lights. Taking in the early afternoon but with dreary conditions with overcast skies and the occasional drizzle. The natural light was also blacked by a decent forest canopy and ample understory of salal and evergreen huckleberries.
November 17, 2025 at 6:20 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A couple of uber-chunky #Red-BeltedConk fungi, Fomitopsis pinicola. They've apparently been bulking up taking advantage of all this rain. Found yesterday at Point Defiance Park in Washington State.

Bonus shot of Winston and me soaked from the rain and understory.
#FungiFriends #Guttation
November 15, 2025 at 10:25 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
A few more observations from #BirdWatching this morning.

This #SpottedTowhee and the #AnnasHummingbird are frequent visitors to my yard due to their respective love of pecans and my hummingbird feeder.
This Spotted Towhee & his mate, not seen here, have been hanging out quite a bit and have warmed up to me due to their love of pecans. Seen here scoping out the case of worms and nuts I left out for the Stellar Jays. This one will occasionally call after me and wait for me to throw him a snack before taking off toward its nearby nest. His mate, learned to do the same. This Anna's Hummingbird hanging out in one of their favorite spots at the top of one of my Red Huckleberry bushes to keep a watchful eye over their hummingbird feeder. I'll regularly see them fly out of this huckleberry to chase away any invading hummingbirds who make an attempt to feed at their feeder. I've even seen them chase away some dark eyed junco who got too close while hanging out nearby. The second location this Anna's Hummingbird likes to hang out on is this cherry tree, that's now leafless. This was snapped right after they took off from one of the branches. A shot of the same hummingbird chasing off one of the competition. They were both at least 60 feet (18m) up in the air chasing each other around when I snapped this shot. The winner came back down to stand guard over their favorite feeder and see why the human was still just sitting in the wet grass watching them.
November 15, 2025 at 8:26 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Lazy Saturday morning spent #Birdwatching in the backyard.

The #StellarJay in the first picture had a spot on impression of a Red Tailed Hawk it appeared to use in an attempt to clear out the competition. It was able to fool Merlin, but less so the other Jays going after the cache of nuts.
#Nature
I loved the expressive eyebrows on this one which made it easy to keep track of. This one would hang out in the tree and mimic red tailed hawk sounds before swooping down to grab one of the nuts from the stash. I think the other Jay that's a blur was just landing when I snapped this picture. A bit of a dreary cloudy day, so the shutter speed on my DSLR was around 60 for this shot. An Eastern Grey squirrel coming down to check out what all the commotion was about. At least 6 different Stellar Jays were having a ball demolishing the nuts and worms left out for them. The same eastern Grey squirrel looking around for some goodies as a Stellar Jay looks while holding a nut it swallowed whole shortly after this shot.
November 15, 2025 at 7:54 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
I believe these are Tricholomopsis decora, Decorated Mop also known as Prunes and Custard. #FungiFriends
This fallen Douglas fir had lots of fungi growing on it including 4 of these bright yellow ones. Their caps were soaking wet due to the intense rainfall we had today so the scales were barely noticeable as they'd been flattened to the cap. A close up on the mushroom in the background of image 1, another Prunes and Custard. The scales are unfortunately barely noticeable due to the intense rainfall we had today. The blinding yellow nature of this fungi is a fun bright surprise to find in the forest.
November 15, 2025 at 5:54 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Mucronella flava, a #Fungi species that look like fungi teeth that just grew straight out of the wood without any need for a silly cap/stem.

Seen here growing in an internal hollow & on the end of this cut likely Douglas fir log located in Point Defiance Park Washington State. Photos👇
#FungiFriends
November 15, 2025 at 5:32 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
I believe this is the Snow-White Crust, Plicatura nivea. Found growing on a fallen Alder branch.

Look for the smattering of #Guttation & encapsulation of some neighboring #Moss.
#FungiFriends #Nature
Snow-White Crust growing on a fallen Alder branch. The stark white fruiting body had a fluffy marshmallowy sort of appearance. A smattering of guttation and some metabolites can be seen in the center of the fruiting body. This is how I found the branch, I did not rotate it to take pictures. Look for a couple droplets of guttation and some unlucky moss that's being encapsulated in the stark white fruiting body.
November 14, 2025 at 7:37 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
These Candlesnuff fungi look like they're magical contorted hands pulling energy from the ether.

Below is a close-up, and another of the same species that best exemplifies the alternate name of Carbon Antler.

#FungiFriends
#Nature #Magic
#Magimorphism
Xylaria hypoxylon goes by many names including Candlesnuff/Candlestick Fungus and Carbon Antlers. Hopefully the resolution is sufficient to make out the spider webs that I imagine to be the energy being pulled in by the magical fungi.
November 14, 2025 at 4:29 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
An anecdotal observation on the state of the American Healthcare system.

I haven't had a Primary Care Dr since changing insurance earlier this year. I've been working with my therapist on getting a service dog for my PTSD that unfortunately needs a Primary Care Dr's signoff to proceed. 🧵1/4
November 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Some 💛🧡🍄 observations from the walk through the forest today.

📸1: Orange Jelly, Dacrymyces chrysospermus
📸2: Calocera cornea, note the forked ends
📸3: Bird Nest fungus with their caps intact
📸4: Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria
#FungiFriends #Fungi #Nature
The orange fingers of the Orange Jelly, Dacrymyces chrysospermus, appear to reach through the bark of this fallen tree.
November 12, 2025 at 7:08 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Zeller's Bolete, Xerocomellus zelleri.

The latter 2 are being attacked by the Bolete Eater, Hypomyces chrysospermus.

#FungiFriends
#Fungi #Nature
A singular perfect example of a Zellers Bolete. This one had zero worms. About 4 total spotted nearby but none closer than a meter apart. The stipe is a beautiful red with faint striping. The cap is a mottled browned grey with a yellow pore surface that resembles a sponge. Found in a mixed forest. A grouping of 4 Zellers Bolete stand amongst some what I believe to be wintergreen. All of these were fairly old and likely wormy but still fun to find. A massive Zeller's Bolete that is succumbing to the Bolete Eater at a later stage. The Bolete has grown into a salal spring and has incorporated part of it into its cap. Hopefully the attachment doesn't negatively impact the poor little salal. A Zellers Bolete fully encapsulated by the Bolete Eater stands meekly while leaning against a stem.
November 12, 2025 at 4:58 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Look at this adorable #PacificBananaSlug taking their afternoon nap.

Sleep well little buddy, may you find many a yummy mushroom to chomp on. #Nature
A Pacific Banana Slug without any visible spots taking their afternoon nap in the forest. Probably on the hunt for one of the many yummy fungus I spotted nearby. The slug is roughly 3 inches long while scrunched up like this. It's enjoying life in a mixed forest healthy understory of huckleberries, Salal and ample mosses.
November 12, 2025 at 4:46 AM
dustymcdusterson.bsky.social
Western Amethyst Laccaria, Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis sprawled out under the huckleberries.

#FungiFriends
#Fungi #Nature
Western Amethyst Laccaria, Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis sprawled out under the huckleberries. The mushrooms have faded somewhat but were likely not as vibrant purple as those gorgeous gills seen in the center of the largest cluster.
November 12, 2025 at 4:41 AM