Category: David

Spotted a couple of days ago by the Stafford Road / M54 roundabout, a spot where they grow regularly. These are the first wild poppies I’ve noticed this year.

Right by the path near Tettenhall Ranger Station in the Smestow Valley LNR, so possibly an escapee from those which have been planted on the platform.

With paired leaf buds further down the stem.

The first set of ducklings I have spotted this season, last Thursday. The mother duck was cautiously keeping them by the other bank of the canal.

This tortoiseshell moved off very nervously when I tried to get slightly closer.

Blackthorn (sloe) bushes starting to flower early in April. The pictures here were taken of neighbouring bushes at the same time. One bush (above) was a mass of buds. The other must have been in a slightly more favoured spot, so the flowers were already out.

Catching the spring sun.

Plenty of flowers here, but it looks positively restrained compared to the Japanese cherry below.

The almost overpowering profusion of blossom is a clue that this is cultivated.

A few days previously, these had seemed a vivid yellow.

Growing from a small tree stump by the Smestow Valley railway walk. This is the third or fourth type of fungus the stump has supported since the start of 2011.

Supposedly named because it appears on the saint’s day (today)l, but this one was already up right at the start of the month. and crushed within a couple of days because it was too obvious to pedestrians.