Category: David

Bees busy gathering, deep in the flowers of himalayan balsam, then emerging, sometimes backwards.

Purple loosestrife flowering. Look out for it at the edge of water: here the pool in Compton Park.

Male common dater dragonfly at lunchtime today. It was on one of its favourite positions, on guard and on display on the decking of the Compton Park pool.

The tip of its left forewing is missing – probably lost fighting off another male trying to take over its territory.

Gatekeeper butterfly (sometimes called hedge brown) busy feeding on the flowers of a ragwort growing by the canal towpath at Wightwick.

The fat flowerhead topped by the twin petal “wings” of a butterfly lavender flower, in recent years a common sight in gardens.

Two young magpies in West Park, often together (as when these pictures were taken) and perhaps one from the same brood.

One seems to have feathers which are always dishevelled. The other has a bill with a crossed tip.