Wolves Wild

A young blackbird investigating a patch of ground in Bridgnorth Town Park where wood chip mulch spread under bushes has been disturbed, leaving bare soil.

Without any landmarks as clues, this kestrel could be hovering just about anywhere. In fact, it was over Rye Harbour. Its vantage point probably gave it views over parts of the village itself, the holiday village with its rows of static caravans, and stretches of the nature reserve.

On our last visit to Bridgnorth, I was rather distracted from the usual views from Castle Walk, over the rooftops of Low town to the river and the cliffs on its other side. Looking over the fencing, the gardens directly below were putting on a show, with many varieties of poppies to the fore.

Bridgnorth Castle was slighted after a hard-fought siege in the Civil War, with the remaining walls lean at crazy angles. High up on the tallest wall, crumbling stonework has created a site for bees to make a nest. The entrance is always busy with bees coming and going.

Wildflowers growing in the verge by Severnside, the footpath along the river at Bridgnorth.

On a recent visit to Bridgnorth, the level of the Severn was quite low. Only a small current was flowing between the Bylet and the left bank. Where this side stream re-joined the main current, the water was clear enough to spot a school of chub feeding.