A diary of wildlife on Banstead Downs

Explore the diverse flora and fauna on the Downs from season to season through personal observations and photographs

mushrooms, mildews and other fungi, slime moulds, lichens and mosses

Orange Bonnet [Mycena acicula?]

Orange Bonnet [Mycena acicula?]

possible Orange Bonnet – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Nov 2025

Inky Mushroom [Agaricus moelleri?]

Inky Mushroom [Agaricus moelleri?]

possible A. moelleri growing on oak/hawthorn leaf litter – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Nov 2025

mushroom [unidentified]

mushroom [unidentified]

unidentified mushroom – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Nov 2025

mushroom [unidentified]

mushroom [unidentified]

unidentified mushroom – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Nov 2025

mushroom [genus Mycena]

mushroom [genus Mycena]

a Mycena sp. mushroom, possibly Milking Bonnet (M. galopus), growing in moss on a living tree trunk – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Nov 2025

fungus [unidentified]

fungus [unidentified]

unidentified fungus on a Silver Birch trunk – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 25 Nov 2025

fungus [unidentified]

fungus [unidentified]

fungus on a dead buckthorn branch - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Nov 2025

asexual stage of Coral Spot Fungus [Nectria cinnabarina ?]

asexual stage of Coral Spot Fungus [Nectria cinnabarina ?]

Coral Spot Fungus on dead branch with a lichen, possibly Asterisk Lichen (Arthonia radiata) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 28 Jan 2026

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore on underside of a birch bough - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Nov 2025

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore on trunk of Silver Birch – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 21 Nov 2025

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore on fallena birch bough - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 28 Nov 2025

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore on the trunk of a fallen Silver Birch – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 25 Nov 2025

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore [Fomitopsis betulina]

Birch Polypore on the trunk of a fallen Silver Birch – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 25 Nov 2025

Mica Cap [Coprinellus micaceus?]

Mica Cap [Coprinellus micaceus?]

Possible Mica Cap mushrooms - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 01 Oct 2025

Sulphur Tuft [Hypholoma fasciculare?]

Sulphur Tuft [Hypholoma fasciculare?]

Possible Sulphur Tuft mushrooms - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 09 Oct 2025

Sulphur Tuft [Hypholoma fasciculare?]

Sulphur Tuft [Hypholoma fasciculare?]

Possible Sulphur Tuft mushrooms - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 06 Oct 2025

Fairy Inkcap [Coprinellus disseminates?]

Fairy Inkcap [Coprinellus disseminates?]

Fairy Inkcap mushrooms – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 Oct 2025

Glistening Inkcap [Coprinellus micaceus ?]

Glistening Inkcap [Coprinellus micaceus ?]

Glistening Inkcap (?) mushrooms – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 02 Mar 2026

Blushing Bracket [Daedaleopsis confragosa?]

Blushing Bracket [Daedaleopsis confragosa?]

Blushing Bracket fungus on tree trunk – Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 14 Oct 2025

Honey Fungus [Armillaria mellea]

Honey Fungus [Armillaria mellea]

Honey Fungus - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 11 Oct 2025