Landscapes from late January back in 2013. The leaden skies and the blanket of snow have almost completely drained the scenes of colour.
The views are of the canal by Castlecroft bridge, heading out into the south Staffordshire countryside, and at Compton.
For a short time several years ago there were wallabies in Wolverhampton. This picture was taken from the bridge where the Stafford Road crosses the canal, looking down to where they were.
Tall trees just outside the grounds of Holy Trinity church, Stratford on Avon, with lots of bunches of mistletoe growing on the high branches. From a distance, the combination of the evergreen leaves and the white berries of the mistletoe give it a “golden” appearance, contrasting with the dark tones of the bare branches of the host trees.
A kingfisher poised on a branch over a side arm of the Avon at Stratford, before flying off (in my direction). Shaky pictures because the hand I was using to hold the camera was on the same arm as my crutch.
For many other bird species, pictures like these would be struggling even to rate as record shots. The kingfisher’s colours are so strong and distinctive, there can be no doubt about it.
There were actually two birds present, though I only saw this one.
The view looking downstream the Avon from the chain ferry landing towards Holy Trinity church on a sunny winter lunchtime, with swans and gulls swimming on the water.
The chain ferry is out of sight, moored up in its bay while it’s out of action for the winter. It’s one of the last ferries in the country – perhaps the very last – to use this mode of propulsion.
The recently established local nature reserve in Stratford on Avon on a frosty morning early this month. The profusion of lichens on the bare branches of the trees shows the low pollution levels prevailing, while the light covering of ice crystals draw attention to the lichens.