David

Two of the West Park coot chicks from the first brood to hatch. Though still only a few days old when I took these pictures, they were swimming around near the nest. One climbed onto a fallen bough to stretch its so far tiny wings. While it was there, it was joined by one of the parents.

Turkey tail fungus growing on, and slowly killing, a buddleia bush. Turkey tail is a very common bracket fungus, which parasites many species f trees.

Round about this time of year, some of the short grass areas in West Park become a sea of daisies. This also makes those areas popular among many of the park’s birds. There’s often a mixed pack of feeding geese, with a few greylags among the Canadas. Magpies and carrion crows also favour the area, seeming to prefer it when they are the biggest birds around.

Leaves from the second of the neighbouring Japanese acers in Bantock Park. I find this tree’s red foliage less dramatic than its companion. The touches of green add variety, but I’m not sure they make it more interesting.

Lords and ladies (more formally, wild arum) flowers when they had first opened, at the start of the month, and before anything had begun to nibble away at them.

The spike at the centre holds the tiny flowers, and later the brightly coloured berries. It’s called a spadex, plural spadices.

Japanese acer near the house and the formal garden at Bantock Park. One of two planted near to each other with leaves which are in different shades of red when they first open in the spring.