A Mushroom Outing in Minnesota

Mushrooms! Fungi! 
Minnesota!
This blog post by Mary Katherine May

It was a sunny day in September of 2016 that my husband and I went to the Sandhill Crane Natural Area in East Bethel, Minnesota.  It's just a wild place in its natural state. 

Going there means you will climb over fallen branches, walk through thick brush and over uneven ground.  We parked at an entry point which was the end of a cul de sac on a neighborhood street and walked in.  There never were any sandhill cranes in sight, but there was loads of fungi to photograph during the two hours (take or leave a few minutes) of exploration.  

I have been waiting to share some of the photos until I could put names to the mushrooms, and even bought a book but still having difficulties with identification. I am comfortable for the time being, however, with my pleasure at taking mushroom photos and will dig into identification at a later time. Fungi experts with ID skills welcome!

So...voila!  Here are some images from our Sandhill Crane Natural Area Adventure.

A Visit to Sandhill Crane Natural Area Anoka County Minnesota Fungus Fungi Mushrooms

Sandhill Crane Natural Area
Anoka County, Minnesota

A Visit to Sandhill Crane Natural Area Anoka County Minnesota

Blog post by Mary Katherine May

Rick and Mary May own QualityMusicandBooks.com, an internet webstore.  Rick retired after 40 years with the same company.  Interests include family and friends, exploring adventures and hobbies, and two miniature dachshund sisters named Tina and Nikki.

LINK to information about Sandhill Crane Natural Area.

LINK to Archive.org page where JPG images and PDF file of images for download are located.

     On a recent fall day when our pioneer spirit surfaced Rick and I drove to the north end of the Twin Cities area to visit the Sandhill Crane Natural Area in Anoka County.  Choosing from two suggested entry spots (no parking lot) and using our GPS, we parked at the end of a cul de sac. 

Rick May walking over stream.

     Described as a natural treasure, I would add emphasis to the natural part as we discovered during the couple of hours walking over uneven ground covered with brush, vines, and fallen branches, and even a narrow stream.  

     On our visit we encountered no one.  As there are no walking trails, I suggest long pants and sturdy shoes, and also watch where you step.  I walked into a hidden string of low-lying, rusty barbed wire.

Cave-shaped tree roots

     The many trees created dim light and cool air on the unusually warm fall day as we made our way to Neds Lake, viewing it from a high spot next to an algae-covered pond. Walking further led to a marsh where sunlight played with cobwebs, hovering insects and gently moving reeds and cattails.

     My greatest enjoyment on this excursion was seeing the varieties of fungi, i.e. mushrooms.  I do not recall seeing so many different-looking types in one area.  I would appreciate help in naming them.

Algae-covered Pond

Neds Lake