Wolves Wild

Witch-hazel (hamammelis): the yellow flowers on one shrub just emerging, the orange flowers nearby already more developed.

Candlesnuff / stagshorn is a small, common fungus which grows on dead wood, including tree stumps and sometimes dead roots.

In its candlesnuff form it is a little like a part-used and currently unlit candle wick: as stagshorn it branches like miniature antlers.

Both forms of the fungus were on the same fallen tree trunk.

Male swan on the canal at Castlecroft, swimming close to the towpath shore. There’s usually an adult female and one or more young birds around as well, but not on the day these pictures were taken.

It may be called a nuthatch, but this seed feeder is the one the bird makes a bee line for.

A dunnock, feeding on the ground, after scraps which have fallen, knocked by the birds eating above.

The feeding station at Northycote Farm is popular with the local wild birds all year round, but especially in winter. The birds are well used to spectators. Usually they fly away if anyone new arrives at the viewing area, but return in full force in a few seconds. The pictures in this and today’s other posts from the feeding area were all taken in a spell of less than five minutes.

For starters, bluetits and coal tits, spending most of their time eating the grain, occasionally shifting to the peanuts for a change.