Scarlet Elf Cup

I was talking to a couple of people the other day that had been looking at some fungi and I happened to mention that it wouldn't be long before there should be plenty of Scarlet Elf Cup showing. Well a few days on and I came across a cracking display of this brightly covered fungi in a local wood. The literature says it can be found from early winter through to early spring but I usually come across it in second half of that period, and February and March in particular.

A cheery bit of brightness on what was a very dull day

The best display was in this tangle of dead branches. They aren't obvious at this distance but you can just make out a few amongst the moss in the foreground..

Get in a bit closer and there are some on nearly every branch.

It is one of those things that always cheers me up when I see it and I just can't resist taking photographs of it.