David

Lichens seen on a short stretch of the Smestow Valley Reserve between the Barley Field and Compton Lock.

I’m still on the lookout for any frogspawn this year, so far without success. In the meantime, these, of frogs spawning amid frogspawn, are from 2010. From the lower pond in the garden at Wightwick manor

The future leaves still tightly packed together, buds on one of the Barley Field oaks just before they open.

It seems that troops of glistening inkcap mushrooms are springing up all over the place this spring. These were on the top of a log which fell several years ago on the dge of the Paddock in the Smestow Valley Nature Reserve.

Flowering almost next to one another on the canal bank, a few yards from Meccano Bridge, a butterbur and a patch of lesser celandines.

Seven-spot ladybird warming itself in the sun as it rested on a leaf by the canal at Newbridge.