Gymnopilus junonius

Sometimes you make a goose of yourself in spite of your best efforts and intentions.

We have a friend in Melbourne who knows how much I love photography and natural history. He had another friend who was into fungi. He told me he was very knowledgable, worked at a Uni and gave me his contact details.

We tried to tee up a time to meet, but it didn't work out. However I did make phone and email contact and I got help with identifying the fungus in a different photo.

So, a year later, when I finally got around to photoshopping and uploading this shot, I asked again for help with the ID. I also asked for a recommendation for a fungi field guide. I graciously got the ID, and a reccommendation for the "A Field Guide to Australian Fungi"..... by the same Bruce Fuhrer (Order of Australia) that I'd been emailing. Yep, I'd been introduced to one of the leading experts and author on Australian fungi, and not known.

Helpful, humble, passionate, and eager to share knowledge. I really respect and admire that. I'm also buying his book 8-)