David

Small tortoiseshell butterfly, flat with its wings spread out as far as possible on the planks of the footbridge across the Compton Park pond. It wasn’t in any kind of trouble or distress. Instead, it was wafting pheromones, trying to attract another to mate with.

Thistles. The flowers were still buds, still almost closed. But a touch of the purple they would show when opened was already visible.

A little frog, half-hidden by the grass it was making its way through.

The orange globe tree (Buddleja globosa). This one grows wild at the back of Compton Lock, producing its balls of insect-attracting flowers every summer.

Blue alkanet flowers are tiny, but this bumble bee seemed like it was trying to submerge itself in the flower to get at the riches buries in it.

Sloes, just starting to ripen, and changing colour to mark this process. These were on one of the bushes in the blackthorn hedge on the Barley Field.