Category: David

Earth stars, fungi which look like nothing on earth. Quite often to be found half-hidden in the vegetation under hedgerows or in undergrowth.

These were the commonest species of the group – collared earth stars.

Witch-hazel (hamammelis): the yellow flowers on one shrub just emerging, the orange flowers nearby already more developed.

Candlesnuff / stagshorn is a small, common fungus which grows on dead wood, including tree stumps and sometimes dead roots.

In its candlesnuff form it is a little like a part-used and currently unlit candle wick: as stagshorn it branches like miniature antlers.

Both forms of the fungus were on the same fallen tree trunk.

Male swan on the canal at Castlecroft, swimming close to the towpath shore. There’s usually an adult female and one or more young birds around as well, but not on the day these pictures were taken.

It may be called a nuthatch, but this seed feeder is the one the bird makes a bee line for.

A dunnock, feeding on the ground, after scraps which have fallen, knocked by the birds eating above.