Category: David

Flower buds from a garden camellia, just before they began to open.

A big gathering of the carrion crows of West Park at the top of a tree (normally monopolised by pigeons) overlooking the lake. Crows are one of several types of bird which are given the fanciful collective noun of “parliament”. The epithet is perhaps more appropriate to the cacophony of rooks than to a grouping like this, where there was little vocalisation.

Mahonia flowers just starting opening on one of the shrubs in West Park. I thought the buds with their green protective covering wrapped tightly round them looked rather like miniature brussels sprouts.

The Severn at Atcham, where gravel deposited by the river forms small islands and riverside beaches. On one of those beaches, directly downstream of Atcham Old Bridge, a white wagtail hunted for insects right by the shoreline.

One of the cup fungi, a group which gets its name for obvious reasons, blistered cups are quite common according to the guide books, but I don’t remember ever noticing any before. Can be found at any time of year, but least common in the warmer months. Usually found with groups of fruiting bodies packed together, like these.

A pair of shovellers on West Park lake, mating. Presumably they are nesting there too.

Every year, there are several sets of coot chicks, with moorhen chicks in smaller numbers. Almost every year some cygnets, quite often two families. Likewise for goslings: sometimes Canadas, sometimes greylags, sometimes both.

Mallard ducklings as well, though not very often. But I don’t recall ever seeing any other type of duckling,