Author: David

This robust thistle was growing as a weed in someone’s front garden.

Once opened, the wild flowers look like dandelions on a taller, thinner but tougher-seeming stem. IIRC, they are indeed related.

Previously unposted images from one of the series posted earlier. Unlike the earlier sets, these have been cropped.

Another common hedgerow plant and garden weed.

The field maple flowers are inconspicuous like many trees. The flowers come out at the same time as the leaves.

The leaves of this tree were already showing galls (the raised reddish spots) from the mites which infest them.

The “eye” markings on the wings, supposedly reminiscent of the markings in a peacock’s tail, showed clearly in the bright sunshine.

Growing on damp ground.

Several different types of grasses flowering or coming into flower. The forms of the flowers are very diverse.

All but one of these grasses was spotted on roadside verges during a one hour stroll.

There’s actually a pair of swans here, mating.

Followed up by both having a good preen.

One bird (the female?) then built a nest one one of the small islands holding a pier of the bridge. The limits of the perfunctory looking nest are marked by a child’s hat which has been dropped from the bridge and an empty drinks can.

Later, and the swan is now preening a few yards away from the nest.

The lone egg will probably still be warming in the hot afternoon sun. But the pair give many signs they may be inexperienced. The river only needs to rise a few inches to sweep away the nest.

These two ladybirds were on different leaves of the same nettle plant. An aphid – their usual food – can be seen clinging below the leaf with the yellow and black ladybird on it.

As I was coming from Birmingham by train, I noticed this duck and ducklings swimming in the Birmingham canal. It was a fifteen minute walk to get back to where they were. These were the pictures I managed before a boat came along and disturbed them.

She has really unusual markings, which show most clearly in this picture. Perhaps she is a cross.

They were giving their swimming some welly for such young birds.