Author: David

Growing in the undergrowth near the Ranger Station on the Smestow Valley LNR Railway Walk.

This pair of ladybirds seemed to have arranged themselves not quite symmetrically on the new growth at the top of a nettle

This thriving moss was growing on a horizontal bough, conveniently at eye level.

The horse chestnut is one tree where the leaves and the flowers come out at the same time. In this picture that process is almost complete: everything seems to be unfurled, but the leaves are not yet pumped up to spread and raise themselves into position.

These were possibly glistening inkcaps, but I didn’t have a good enough look for a definite identification.

These were growing in a corner of St John’s churchyard.

Snails taking refuge on vegetation. There seemed to be a lot of them in the field behind Compton lock that day.

Ornamental crab apple trees in the field behind Compton lock. The flowers on the tree nearer the lock had almost completely opened; on the further tree the buds were just beginning to unfold.

The bright red “bristles” of the “brush” are the stamens, with a yellow pollen tip.

Originally a Brazilian plant, now often an exotic house plant. These two fine blooms were in the Conservatory last month.

I like the variations in the colours of the small flowers on the same plant.

The butterfly perched high on the bush, possibly because it wanted to keep well away from me.