David

A couple in the distance, walking their dog in the Barley Field in the Smestow Valley Nature Reserve on a wintery morning.

The silk tassel bush (Garrya elliptica) is named for its tassels, the long male catkins which flower at this time of year.

The bush originates in western North America, and can be found growing as a garden plant.

Remains of a clump of last year’s reeds, growing by the far bank of the canal at Compton at the start of the recent cold spell.

A distant view of Wightwick Lock in the recent snow. The one-time lock keeper’s cottage is behind the hedge and trees on the right.

Looking over the lock itself.

And from another angle.

The view looking across the length of Compton Lock.

Wightwick Mill Lock, in the distance here.

Closer

The snow adds to the illusion that the lock is deep in the countryside.

Clouded agaric mushrooms growing amid the debris of the leylandii trees they were growing under. Spotted when passing a front garden.

The ground under leylandiis often doesn’t have anything interesting to look at. Occasionally, as here, there are some determined fungi.