Wolves Wild

Marsh marigold clumps as the plants were going to seed. These were on the margins of the pond at Compton Park.

The female southern hawker dragonfly featured in yesterday’s post, in flight having deposited one batch of eggs, now in search of another suitable location in the reedy pool in Baggeridge Country Park.

Heron standing, watchful on a tree fallen from the island into the boating lake at West Park.

Caterpillar crawling along the top of the handrail of the bridge at Compton Park pool. If it grows up, it will become a comma butterfly. The head is at the orange end.

Female southern hawker dragonfly ovipositing (laying her eggs in the water) in a pool in Baggeridge Country Park a few days ago

The West Parkgreylag goose family with three goslings by the shore of the lake, the young birds huddled together, while their parents watched out for danger.

Two different species of cardinal beetle, noticed within a few minutes while I was walking round Northycote Farm recently. Pyrochroa coccinea, with a dark head, was resting on a sycamore leaf near the pond. Pyrochroa serraticornis, red head and an especially impressive set of antennae, on a teazle leaf in the garden.

Reed beetles (Donacia vulgaris), quite common on vegetation at the edge of water. Here a pair were mating, on a reed leaf.

Male blackbird on the branch of a tree overhanging the Severn at Bridgnorth, watching me suspiciously

Lupin, with its flowers just opening, in the garden at Northycote Farm.

Six-spot burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) taking a brief rest at Baggeridge Country Park yesterday. There were several different butterfly and moth species about; four or five kinds of dragonfly and at least three types of damselfly. Among the many wild flowers were a crowd of orchids.

Lamb with very long front legs, kneeling to eat grass, and others in the same field which didn’t seem to share the problem.