David

Bright red liqidamber leaves, still on a tree by the West Park lake for some time after all the other trees’ leaves had fallen, just about a month ago.

The ripening fruits were also hanging from the same branches.

A few individual weather vanes for the new year. The school of fish in the first image are accompanied by one of the aggressive chip-thieves of St Ives.

The elaborate bishop and children later in the set should perhaps have been scheduled for a week ago. It’s St Nicholas, dedicatee of the church at beaudesert, Warwickshire.

From the morning of the first hard frost of the winter, earlier this month. Moss, just about starting to send out the fruiting bodies containing the spores, liberally coated in ice crystals.

Every winter there’s a rise in the numbers of tufted ducks (aka tufties) hanging out on the water of the West Park lake. Usually, they seem to spend most of their time companionably in one or two groups. This year, at least so far, their preference seems to be to gather in groups of three or four instead.

Small moss oysertlings. tiny and delicate-looking mushrooms growing in … moss.

Drake muscovy duck, a long term resident of the upper lake at Perton. For once, it was acting reclusive as if reluctant to have its picture taken, first hiding and then retreating.