This late summer has seen a bumper crop of fungi, including the ever popular giant puffballs. There was an interesting one near the Lobb trail that was complete with a protein supplement for those who like to eat slugs. Four Western dusky slugs were eating it. On a hike at Macgregor Point park there many different varieties of fungi. A green one was identified through iNaturalist as Mouse-pee Pinkgill, a red one as Candy Apple Waxy Cap and a grey one as Black tooth.
Fungi are a group of spore producing organisms feeding on organic matter. They include moulds, yeasts , mushrooms and toadstools. Toadstool is a non technical name for poisonous or inedible fungi with a round cap and stalk. I believe the term toadstool is no longer in common use. The Audubon Society producers a field guide to mushrooms which states, “A mushroom is the fruiting body of a plant, the part of a fungus that typically appears above ground and contains its reproductive units or spores.” This guide includes edible and poisonous fungi. Note that Ghost pipe (See Trail Talk 272) although appearing to be a fungus is actually a plant feeding on a fungus.
Mosquitoes have been numerous in some places. On Monday September 4th a group of us were fighting them off while hiking in the Hulllett Sugar Bush. We then took the green trail towards Conservation road where there were fewer bugs being out in the open. However there was large group of hunters in a training exercise so we had to retreat back to the blue trail. Hunting season is upon us, Canada Geese season started on Sept 8th and Duck season is from September 24th to January 8th. Bow hunting for deer starts on October 1st and Wild Turkey gun hunting starts on October 10th.
Notes.
Saturday September 16th and Sunday September 17th Maitland Trail El Camino hikes Registration Closed
(195 Registrations received)
Sunday September 17th 9 am- 12.30 pm –Bicycle ride cancelled
Sunday September 17th at 10 am. Terry Fox Run. A 3km walk will be lead by BRVTA volunteers from Clan Gregor pavilion.
Saturday September 23rd 9am Hike with Anne Melady at 7277 Hwy 8 near Dublin. Walk through this delightful property of farm fields, across the railway tracks and back to the bush anda cabin. The walk takes you along the Bayfield River and up through the bush of old growth and recently planted bush. There will be a trip to the Dublin Restaurant after the hike. For more information and to confirm your attendance, please contact Anne Melady at jamelady@hotmail.com. This is a Level 1, easy pace, 1.5 – 2 hours.
Tuesday Trompers meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday to hike for about an hour. If you wish to be on this email list, send an email to mta@maitlandtrail.ca
Uneven Hikers hike for 1 ½ to 2 hours on Wednesdays or Thursdays, contact Patrick Capper.
Both groups meet at 9 a.m. and are open to non-members provided they sign the MTA On-line waiver.
If you have questions or something of interest for Trail Talk email me Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com.
