David

A heron, possibly a young bird, on the lookout for prey in the Staffs and Worcs Canal near Oxley. It was fishing opposite to where there is an inflow to the canal which I think is an outlet from part of the Barnhurst Farm (Wolverhampton sewage treatment) works.

Winter aconite early last month, with the first few flowers emerging in what would later be a patch of them.

A mistle thrush pair which have had the same territory near the bandstand in West Park for several years. They can often be seen searching the lawns for things to eat.

A mass of cones at the top of a tall spruce: probably a Norway spruce.

West Park lake gets occasional visits from cormorants. It’s probably a good thing that they don’t take up permanent residence: they’re big birds with healthy appetites, and could possibly make a dent in the size of the fish population.

This bird, perhaps a young one, stayed for a few days during a cold snap two years ago. These pictures were taken as it paused from catching fish.  It spread and shook its wings to dry them in the sun, then started to look around for a potential further snack.

These ivy leaves covering a small patch of ground were in deep shadow, so they held on to their coating of frost for longer than the other nearby vegetation.