Inonotus obliquus? growing on White Birch
 aka clinker polypore
aka Chaga

A large White Birch, over two feet diameter, growing on private property near the road.  About 15' up, on a branch about 8" in diameter is what looks to me like Chaga.  Picture taken at full 12x optical zoom and 5 mp size then cropped and resized and compressed.

A bit from the side

The base of the tree has a rot hole that goes to the center of the tree.

  The quest goes on...

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