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David

Frosted grasses and a daisy

Frosted grass

Frosty morning towards the end of last month: an open daisy flower covered in frost, and various grass leaves and seed heads also iced.

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David

Artificial hill and its view, Beaudesert

View from the motte, Beaudesert

Artificial hill, best part of a thousand years old and still impressive: the motte of the former castle at Beaudesert by Henley in Arden, and a view over the landscape the castle was built to protect or intimidate.

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David

Old, old, old man’s beard

Old, old, old man's beard

The feathery seed of old man’s beard in late winter, still not blown from the plant to disperse. The River Severn forms the out of focus background.

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David

Mallards on the Alne, Henley

Mallard on the Alne, Henley

Pair of mallards on the Alne at Henley in Arden. The birds were swimming upstream at a pace just matching that of the current, so they were keeping opposite the same place on the banks and opposite each other.

As they swam in parallel, each was watching the other.

Mallard on the Alne, Henley

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David

Spiky: teazles in winter

Spiky: teazle

Teazle seed heads in winter. The hooked spines on the seed heads meant the plant used to be used in wool production, to clean and raise the nap on the fabric.

Spiky: teazles

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David

Disconsolate young heron on fallen tree

Disconsolate young heron on fallen tree

Young heron, probably the same bird featured here, hunched up against the cold as it stands on a fallen tree watching on the edge of West Park boating lake island.

Disconsolate young heron on fallen tree