This clump of ragwort was proving very attractive to insects early in August. A cinnabar moth caterpillar is near to the ragged white butterfly (above) while the hoverfly (below) came along a minute or so later.
Category: David
Chapel Ash dawn
Young coots, Birmingham canal
There are two young coots here, swimming and eating a few yards from each other.
They are the same birds feature in the post of August 19th
when they must have been very recently hatched.
Family of swans, Birmingham canal
Duck and ducklings, Birmingham canal
Heather in flower on Cannock Chase
Plums ripening
Bagot goats at Shugborough
One of the historic breeds farm animals at Shugborough Park. If these are indeed Bagot goats, they are descended from the semi-wild herd of Blithfield Hall, on the opposite side of Cannock Chase, and be of a critically endangered rare breed.
The billy is relaxing above, and the kid, below, is eating with a jackdaw seeming to mimic its actions.
Water peppermint
Yew berries just beginning to ripen
At first the kernels of the berries are green and the outer covers are a paler green, and cover less than half the kernel. To me, they look more like miniature acorns at this stage.
As the berry ripens, the kernel swells. The covering layer begins to redden and to advance down the kernel.
Riper = yet redder cover with yet more complete coverage.
Varying degrees of ripeness in berries which are almost touching. Perhaps it was the time of day I was there, but there seemed to be a direct effect that the berries in the sunniest spots had come furthest along.
These pictures all taken within a few minutes, of berries on the same yew tree in West Park.
Hat tip: Jefny.