David

The early arrival of autumn gales has meant a spell of warm wet weather, triggering an equally early start to the annual fungi flush. These were all withing a few yards of one another in the woodland recently opened up in the woodland in the Old Nursery area of the Smestow Valley Nature Reserve.

Once again the West Park turtle sunning itself on its favourite log. Pictures taken on the same day as the recently posted set of a heron, with lots of white (swan?) feathers floating in the water.

Many-seeded Goosefoot Lipandra polysperma growing as another weed by the footpath across the same barley field as the wormwood pictured a few days ago.

heron on one of the islands on West Park lake. Shoreline and edge of water strewn with white feathers, presumably shed by one or both of the adult swans (both were around, looking fine).

Buddleia doesn’t have as long a flowering season as alkanets (post below). But for several weeks. While they last, the flowers are an even bigger draw for pollinating insects such as this small tortoiseshell butterfly.

Common alkanet were near the peak of their flowering season when lockdown was declared back in March. Attracting a mass of pollinating insects: butterflies, bees, hoverflies.

August, and alkanet are still flowering, still attracting insects like this small white butterfly.