The mild November weather has helped to make 2011 an outstanding autumn for fungi and a wide variety were found when Chris Bucke led a circular walk, starting from Nettlebed on Saturday 26th November. The route started out along a footpath across a grassy pasture, where the stout orange Meadow Wax Cap was found, together with the yellow coral-like fingers of a club fungus. The track then led into the beeches of Wellgrove Wood, where there were long lines and circles of the big cream funnel fungus, Leucopaxillus giganteus. Also seen were Wood Blewits, Clouded Agarics and the delicate pink Mycena rosea. The fallen leaves were a mixture of yellows, golds and browns, with the silver leaves of Whitebeam standing out in contrast. The track then followed the edge of a field down into Bix Bottom. Abundant brown-gilled mushrooms along the hedge line looked tempting, but closer inspection identified them as the poisonous Yellow Stainer. Some of the group turned aside to inspect the ruined St James Church. The route then followed the lane towards the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust’s Warburg reserve. Blue-green Verdigris Agaric fungi and Magpie Inkcaps were found at the side of the lane. Another track led back up through more beech woods towards Nettlebed. A blue-backed Nuthatch was watched as it foraged down on the ground at the edge of the woods. Shiny white Porcelain Fungus was found growing above head height on a beech tree, with purple Amethyst Deceivers in the leaf litter below. Finally, Shaggy Ink Caps were seen beside the lane on Nettlebed Common.