David

The buds of a sycamore before they unfolded. A tiny ladybird can just be seen nestling where the buds join the branch.

This parrot featured on Wednesday landed on the same tree less than ten minutes later.

Possibly cow parsley – it’s hard to be sure before the flowers come out.

A parrot flying up and down the river Severn at Bridgnorth: here perching on a horse chestnut and eating some of the young buds.

It must be an escape, but apparently it has been flying wild for some months now.

A real plant from the dawn of time.

This gull on a small beach by the river Severn at Bridgnorth was hoping to profit from the bread thrown to the ducks and geese in the same area.

Not particularly closely related to the lesser celandine, nor, to my eye, resembling it very closely other than in the colour of the flower.

The flower buds look hairy.

Ducklings on the river Severn at Bridgnorth.

The mother duck is already struggling to cover them all. After a few further days growth this would have become impossible.

A plant originally introduced for gardens, which thrives in the wild.

This heron was fishing at the upstream end of Wightwick lock on the Staffs and Worcs canal.

Below it considers flying off because of my presence, before settling down again.