Mushrooms have had bad press. It's not their fault, they're just doing what all self-respecting organisms do - getting on with it.

What's the first thing you think about when someone says they've been out looking for mushrooms? I'll bet you it's how poisonous mushrooms are. Ooh, you shouldn't just eat any that you pick without first checking that they're okay. Sure, sage advice. But doesn't that thinking remove common sense? Of course no one's going to just pop a wild mushroom into their mouth without first checking it, surely?

So there I was, camera in hand, tripping through the New Forest in Dorset. No, really, I was tripping over branches and ducking under them, too, in an effort to get into the little clearing where I had spied something tantalising and white. Well, I haven't a clue what they are, but this is what I found.

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They look like chanterelles to me. Any comments or observations you can add?

It was a fascinating, if rather chilly, exploration. At first, there were none to be seen. As I discovered, that wasn't because there were no mushrooms around. Rather, I hadn't been exercising my mushroom eye. Mushrooms seem to be well camouflaged, especially when there has been a heavy leaf fall surrounding them. I noticed one, then a clump and took a couple of photos. Suddenly, I was wishing I'd brought a spare memory card!

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Every available resource is exploited by the 'shrooms, as evidenced by these, trying to keep off the ground, perhaps out of reach of the ponies. Not quite achieving their aim, though.

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These strange star-shaped 'shrooms demanded my attention. I'd really like to know what they're called, as I haven't been able to find anything resembling them in my research.