Category: David

One of the summer generation of holly blue butterflies, resting on the bare ground of the canal footpath near Compton.

The semi-resident West Park heron, on its usual perch, stretching one of its legs for a little scratch.

Rings of purple flowers on teazles. These on plants growing by the pool in Compton Park.

Banded demoiselle damselflies. These are all males – the females are green rather than blue. One every few yards near the water of the canal near Compton, hoping a female would come along.

Vivernum (guelder rose) berries, partially ripe, turning from green to red. These on one of the bushes at the back of Compton Lock.

This is probably a migrant hawker – unlike yesterday’s brown hawker, there’s a couple of similar-looking species which need a close view to be sure of distinguishing. It was patrolling a territory over the canal at Compton, right next to the brown hawker’s.