David

The pale pink colour of the flowers indicates that this was a hybrid of the Red and White species.

Vetches (there are many species) are closely related to peas and lentils, and some species have in the past formed part of a diet of last resort.

Here coming into flower, sedges are common at the sides of the canals locally.

Like the dead nettle, the deadness is because it merely looks like a nettle, and does not sting.

A very distinctive fly, with its bright shiny body.

Like many wild plants (often also seen as weeds) this one has lots of folk names, including Creeping Jenny. It’s a member of the mint family.

Apparently these are edible, though the descriptions I have seen are not such as to enthuse me to rush out to give it a try.

Among its other names is Poor Man’s Mustard, which gives the pointer to the plant family it belongs to, and to a possible culinary use.

Yet another set of ducklings, which must have been freshly hatched when I spotted them on the Staffs & Worcs canal early in May.

The mother was keeping a very careful eye on them.

To be precise, these are ribwort plantains. The ones above are shown before the flowers come out, the ones below when the flowers are out.