David

The flowers on horse chestnut trees arranged around elaborate structures which rise up from the branches. Come autumn, the same branches will be weighed down with a harvest of conkers.

One of the coots’ nests on the lake at West Park. The coots are brooding eggs. They’re a species which shares the work of parenting, but not necessarily equally.

Both parents spend some time sitting on the eggs, but I suspect the female works longer shifts. The time spent off the eggs isn’t exactly for lazing around. The bird in the water is kept busy bringing more building material for the nest.

Tawny mining bees (Andrena fulva), one resting on a leaf, sunbathing. The other one was busy eating some of the pollen from a male yew flower.

A pair of Canada geese on West Park lake performing a vigorous synchronised swimming and bathing routine. The pair had just mated; the routine isa reinforcement for their pair bond.

A common flower fly (Syrphus ribesii, a type of hoverfly) eating flowers on a bay tree. They are indeed one of the commonest of the hoverflies. Also a gardeners’ friend. The adults feed on nectar, so they’ll help fertilising flowers. The young feed on aphids.

Wild garlic, flowering in a front garden. The greens and whites of the plant are visually attractive in a minimalist way. Personally, I prefer the smell when it’s confined to the dining room.