Mushroom foraging

These growing on a rotting trunk... Oysters? More pics below (mobile only allows one attachment at a time).

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Oysters again

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And again

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Consulted Roger Philips and Bloomsbury pocket guide, both seem to agree but you lot are wiser than I...
They just smell like mushrooms you'd buy from the shop.

Would squeezing or breaking apart something poisonous leave enough residue on your hands to cause harm? In general terms.

IANAMycologist, but nah

Do these look magic?

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Not to my recollection but it’s been nearly 20 years since I collected any. Look a bit big and the nippley bit should be pink. But as I say, it’s been a long time.

There’s probably loads of different varieties of psilocybe out there though.

They look pretty much like oysters in most ways bar the cap, which is a bit unruly in shape. Probably just means means they’re old, though.

No

What are these that something has been nibbling at?

Yeah, some big ones that look old. Here is a smaller one that looks younger/fresher.

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The pleasingly-named Lycoperdon Echinatum (spiny puffball) by the looks of it.

Edible when young, pale and firm, like the common puffball

Very oystery, looks like you’ve found some. They regrow in the same spot so will be there year on year too.

Moved up to Southwest Scotland not long ago and managed to find a pretty hefty Chicken of the Woods a few days back.

After an initial taste/quality test, I came back the following morning to pick up several kilos (!) and kept half the village fed.

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On phone so can't say with enough certainty but probably Lycoperdon Umbrinum, in which case it looks a bit late for eating anyway.

A particular Scleroderma looks somewhat similar so don't take that as a positive ID. What was it growing on / near?

Don't worry, I have no interest eating them, was just curious

Was growing on the base of a dead tree, the surrounding trees are horse chestnuts and white poplar I think

Ah, missed @TvH 's reply. Deciduous trees means L. Echinatum makes a bit more sense, and they do lose their spines a bit as they age.

I'm not sure if it was CotW in the end, and book said not good to eat late summer or autumn so I left it on the tree. Cool fungus though!

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More baby ones coming through too so will check back :)

Wow! Looks like it might be COTW but too old to bother eating anyway. Everyone I've heard talk about eating it prefers it when the brackets are young and bulbus like this (not my photo):

Is there anything I can do to encourage mushroom growth, maybe something desirable? I built these a while ago and they are maturing/rotting nicely but would be cool to get something to grow on them. Or am I way off?

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You can buy inoculated dowels that you hammer in to the logs if you are after edibles

Not my land unfortunately, I think I would get fired pretty quickly! Though I see now it looks like that's what I was hinting at, I basically just meant anything edible, food wise