lenrely

I know those underside shots are always good and I ask for them myself. I was doing an interpretive hike with some kids and we were just admiring the beauty of them. Some trichaptum have no purple at all but these were a really classic example.

I have to drive four or five hours east to see it. I'm planning a moss garden too.

You might find some in your area but they are introduced.

Yes exactly. If you wanted one for your garden that's where you should plant it.

Done!

Thank you! It's very small. I'm moving and for a moment I was tempted to bring it with me.

Thank you! This one's missing the hallux, but after I saw the bird I looked around for a crow-sized track with a very rigid foot that couldn't possibly be anything else. The track looks like a miniature great blue heron's with a little bit of webbing on one side, when the toes are together like this one is pretty much the only flexibility there is. There aren't any other herons this small, if it was a crow there would be bumps and warts where the joints are. Bird tracking is a lost art, I'd recommend the book Bird Tracks & Sign. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations...

This species likes to grow out of mulch and potting soil. I found some baby ones in South Carolina that look like your second photo but I didn't recognize them until someone identified them for me. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations...

I think that's a Calvatia puffbull which usually grows in lawns, but just happened to grow in a weird place.

I agree, it probably came with the plant or the soil it's in.