David

A bit late for Christmas, but this robin was strutting over the frosty ground yesterday.

On the rare occasions moorhens can be clearly seen on dry land, their feet look disproportionately large.

The subtle greens of these parrot waxcaps here decorated by the frost.

Yet another of the reasonably common species of inkcaps.

This late ivy flower was highlighted bu the first frost at the start of the month.

The visible part forms what appears to be patches of black and shiny crust on wood.

Some four or five male shovellers, and one female, seem to have taken up residence on the lake at West Park.

They can often be seen in their feeding posture – heads down in the water so they can strain out the plant food they live on.

It is of course a mobile phone mast, not very convincingly disguised. Click the picture or its caption to go to a larger version where a box holding some of the electrics can be seen near the top.

Can you identify this tree? Hint – it is not a Christmas tree.

Picture taken 26th September.

And, for a somewhat clearer view, this picture was taken at the start of this month when most of the other trees had lost their leaves.

Boletes are toadstool fungi which have pores rather than gills at the base of the caps, through which to release their pores.

This common bolete is one of the easiest boletes to recognise. The upper surface of the cap appears to crack, revealing pinkish or reddish flesh below.