Category: David

Goldfinches spotted high in trees by the Castle Walk footpath in Bridgnorth. The birds in the alder were on the side overlooking the river, the others on the side overlooking the Severn Valley Railway station.

Oyster fungus: now on sale in a supermarket near you, but also a common mushroom which can be found growing wild at any time of the year.

Grows on wood – it’s a common cause of white rot. So ist’s often found growing in clusters on tree stumps or, as is likely with these I noticed growing in a front garden, on dead wood hidden underground or by vegetation.

Teal, the smallest British duck, keeping its head under the water as it was busy feeding. This one was on a pond by the Tarka Trail in north Devon last month.

Juvenile swans, now full sized but not yet in adult plumage, swimming in the Severn by the bridge at Bridgnorth last week. The birds are probably all from the same clutch which hatched last summer. They were with two adult birds, the parents.

Pestle puffball, a puffball fungus with a noticable stem raising the fruiting body above the ground, making it look a bit like a pestle with its handle stuck in the soil. These were growing in Himley Plantation back in October.

Gorse flowers all year round. This picture was taken just after Christmas.