David

It seemed a long wait after coot chicks and goslings started swimming about on West Park lake, but finally some cygnets appeared. Towards the end of last month, ifve of them.

Rhododendrons, when the flower buds were forming and the flowers were just opening.

Three insects fighting (probably). I thought they were bees, but they are bee-mimicing hoverflies, possibly narcissus bulb flies (Merodon equestris).

They were circling round, flying at one another and retreating, an inch or two over the ground of the Barley Field.

Germander speedwells. These were flowering by the footpath which runs behind Wightwick Mill Lock.

Jackdaw in Compton Park didn’t like me getting too near, so it was off.

Flowers on a mature whitebeam by the West Park lake, from tightly closed buds to fully open.