Fluted bird's nest fungi (Cyathus striatus)

[Bob_B]

We've had a lot of rain in Maryland (US), with over 13 inches falling in June. That's more than 3x our average for the month and a new record. As a result, we have a lot of mushrooms and other fungi growing in abundance. Here's one that I often see growing on the hardwood mulch in my gardens. It's called the 'fluted bird's nest' fungus, a member of the splash cup fungi. When a raindrop falls into the cup, the spores are propelled out of the cup and sent forth to start a new fungi. The cups are about 4-5 mm in diameter, to give you an idea of their size.  Here's a macro of one such group of these fungi. Please feel free to c&c.

Thank you for viewing.

  Bob

[francois]

Very nice and colorful. It's a refreshing shot, especially for those who are sweating under the sun.

[sdwilsonsct]

Nice subject. I might get closer or crop to play up the subject. I could even overcome my aversion to scene manipulation by moving the leaf away before pressing the shutter release.

[Bob_B]

Thanks for the comments.

Scott: Indeed. I had removed several bleached maple seeds, as their brightness detracted from the scene, but left the leaf thinking it helped put the size of the fungi in context. However, in retrospect I agree with your assessment, and now wish that I had removed it. That said, I have several other shots taken from different views, so there may be a better one that lacks the leaf.

[Bob_B]

Here's a second try using PS to remove the leaf. Too obvious? C&C appreciated. Thank you. (Happy Independence Day to US folks.) - Bob

[francois]

I find this last version cleaner. The green leave was a bit distracting.