David

Summer’s just beginning to give way to autumn, but already the first growth of next year’s catkins are begining to grow on some hazel bushes. These will be pumping out their pollen come January.

Charcoal burner russulas, common autumn woodland mushrooms, growing in their hundreds in the Woodland Trust’s Himley Plantation.

Drying remains of this year’s garden poppies. The “pepperpat” seed heads with the holes cirlcing the rim where the seeds will be blown out to be scattered as the stems bend in winds.

Red admiral butterfly spending some time enjoying feeding on a ripe damson which had fallen from the tree.

Deceivers, a mushroom which can take on a wide range of shapes and colours making them look a bit like other species. These were in the woodland by the Old nursery.

Male common darter on patrol on its section of the near-shore area of Old Nursery Pond recently. The day I visited, there was one of these dragonflies every couple of yards around the pond, flying continually from one edge of their territory to the other to ward off their two neighbours.