Why families are being urged to look closer on autumn walks

As autumn arrives, experts in Britain are urging families to take closer notice of the countryside on their walks. Scattered in parks, woodlands and nature reserves, unusual mushrooms ranging from vivid red fly agaric to rare red cage fungus can be discovered by anyone willing to slow down and examine the surroundings more closely.

James Benwell, from the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, has embraced mushroom hunting as a method to explore nature with his young son. He explained that mushroom spotting can turn a routine stroll into an adventure, revealing colourful and unique species that many people overlook.

In the West Midlands region, enthusiasts have documented a variety of fungi, from tiny bird's nest fungi in Birmingham's city centre to the striking fly agaric mushrooms growing beneath woodland birch trees and a rare red cage fungus found in Cannon Hill Park. These species often blend in with fallen leaves, decaying wood, and the bases of trees, but Benwell emphasized that taking time to look more intently reveals a hidden world.

With over 15,000 species of fungi in the UK, experts encourage people to photograph and record their findings instead of picking them. Interest in fungi has surged in recent years, as the West Midlands Fungus Group, led by chairman Lucas Large, continues to attract new members to their activities and forays. Benwell noted one of the attractions is the sheer variety of shapes, colours, and forms that can be found in autumn.

He likened the fly agaric to "the mushroom of fairy tales," as it is prominently featured in popular culture and literature.

However, not all mushrooms are safe to eat. Several species found in the UK can cause severe illness or even death if consumed, including the deadly death cap mushroom. Large advised against assuming wild mushrooms are safe to eat and stressed that the only sure way to identify a mushroom's edibility is through proper knowledge or expert confirmation.

Benwell echoed this caution, noting that people without specialist knowledge should avoid picking wild mushrooms and simply enjoy them in their natural habitats, such as Birmingham's city parks, the woodlands of Cannock Chase, Sutton Park, or the Wyre Forest.