At the end of last month, the moon looked full for several days. The morning after the pictures featured in the post yesterday, more views of West Park lit by a moon about to set. This time a well-defined patch of shoulder high mist covered one of the fields of the park. A large group of Canada geese were sitting or standing eating away at the frosty grass.
Growing among the moss on the top of a wall, and around the base of the trees along the pavement, tiny plants of common whitlowgrass in flower. Not something I’d ever noticed before, but apparently this winter-flowering species is indeed quite common.
Views across the West Park lake just before dawn. The late February full moon heading for disappearing behind the trees before setting around sunrise.
The fur-like texture of pussy willow catkins. These were on a tree overhanging the West Park lake.
Lots of the daffodils are now in full flower, but this plant in Coppice Wood was taking a little longer for them to open.
Probably not the first webs of the year, actually, but the first ones I noticed. Right next to one another, with no signs of the spiders; catching the evening sunlight.
The next day there were strong wings, and no sign of the webs.
Hairy curtain crust, a common and year-round bracket fungus which grows on dead wood. These were on a fallen log in Bantock Park.
Went down to Old Nursery pond a few days ago to try to see if there were any signs of frog or newt spawn. After the recent prolonged heavy rains, the entire area was so swampy I couldn’t get a clear view of the water in the pond. Parts of the surrounding wood had been converted into extra pools.
Male blackbird sitting watchfully by the top of a fence, perhps waiting for an opening as a couple of others were prospecting a small lawn for food.
Another misty morning, early, West Park. The big erratic, seen from two different angles, and the rather smaller one near to the badger sett.
Purple crocus flowers, with a vivid colour contrast between the petals and the bright yellow / orange stamens.
Wood blewit mushrooms had been growing throughout the hardest times of this winter. Now as the weather showed signs of warming, they were beginning to shrivel, and had been covered in mould.