David

Rising over a water surface green with floating vegetation, a couple of the white water lily flowers on the Old Nursery Pond in the Smestow Valley nature Reserve.

Well-grown moorhen chick stalking off along the canal bank to get away from a sudden bout of activity at Compton Lock.

Ropening berries changing colour on a wild arum (lords and ladies) by the Railway Walk at Compton.

Common darter dragonfly flying over the waters of the Turner’s Field pond in the Smestow Valley Nature Reserve. It was defending its territory against another individual. Record shots (euphemistic way of saying I wish I’d got better pictures).

Sloes still slowly ripening on the blackthorns on the edge of the Barley Field, lichens on the branches carrying them.

Badger village and nearby. The village itself, with its thatched cottages and two ponds right by the road. I didn’t manage to get down into the Dingle on this visit, so I missed the third pond, the stream, and the remains of old houses carved into the rock.

Nearby, the large lake of the recently closed park at Patshull. On the way between the two, a big pond, formerly feeding a mill.