Category: David

Young heron by the canal, not far from Wightwick Mill lock.

When I came along, it was fishing from the towpath, and spotted me before I noticed it. It took off, crossed to the other bank, but landed in the water just a few yards downstream and started to fish again.

As I got nearer, it rose again. But again, it only went a few yards further on. Only when I got too close for its comfort once more did it take off again and head for the less disturbed water of the Smestow Brook a hundred yards away.

Charcoal burners, russula mushrooms, in Himley Plantation.The ones I’ve been noticing this autumn have been growing under beech trees, but they can also be found under oaks.

A small tortoiseshell butterfly which had somehow got itself trapped inside a house. These pictures taken as it was fluttering wildly against a window which doesn’t open, while its rescuer went to get something to return it to the open air safely. It was returned to freedom very soon after.

Earthball fungi on the ground at Himley Plantation – probably common earthballs. In some of the specimens, it’s just possible to see the hole on the apex of the fungus where the spores come out, powered to start on their way when a heavy raindrop lands on the fungus.

The outer cover of the fruit on the Newbridge spindle tree which has been gradually ripening for several weeks, has now finally developed itsd bright pink / red colour. In the first of the fruits, that cover is opening to reveal the orange interior.

Growing from one of the silver birch trunks which mark the edge of the paths in Old Nursery Wood, a bracket fungus, a birch polypore by the side of the shortest path between Old Nursery Pond and Willow Pond.

One of the other names for this fungus is the razor strop fungus. At one time, they were used to sharpen the edge of old-fashioned cut-throat razors.