Small World

i had thought I might have another evening outing today if it stayed bright, but as it's dull, I'll leave it for another time. I've been trying to improve my microscopy skills to help with fungi ID. Many can only be identified by looking at microscopic feature. I've had a fairly primitive for quite a long time, and every so often I've got it out and had a go at using it, but without help, I easily get disheartened. Now some of my fellow surveyors at Longshaw are giving me "homework" which is helping me to persevere. I spent this morning looking at a small cup fungus which we found yesterday growing on sheep dung. Not very appealing, you might think, but sometimes these micro worlds can be very beautiful. this image was taken with my iPhone with the macro lens, looking down the microscope. It shows how the spores of this fungus are arranged in tiny tubes called Asci in groups of 8.

I got an email from one of the group today. He has been in touch with Network Rail, who apparently deny all knowledge of the information posted at Grindleford Station by the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership and cannot comment on it as they haven't seen it. We sent them a photo.