The only scales on birch I found via Google were oystershell scale and scurfy scale. I have some books I can check out later. If you scrape some off onto white printer paper you may be able to get in closer with the camera.
Regarding the oozing stuff, did you check out the link in my earlier post for slime flux/wetwood?
How much are you offering to change my user name
I've been called Scooby before so you're not the only one.
