An interesting-looking group of mushrooms, growing half-hidden by vegetation, under the hedgerow by the canal path between Compton and Wightwick. No idea what they are.
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Unidentified canalside mushrooms
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Judas tree flowering, reflected
A Judas tree, planted by the side of the Conservatory at West Park. Seen back when the tree was in full flower, reflected in the lake.
Jack by the hedge (also known as garlic mustard) has always been a common hedgerow plant. But this year it seems to be having a bumper time. I got in close to this one as the first flowers were beginning to open, with lots more flower buds behind them.
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White azalea flowers, West Park
A small azalea bush in West Park had white flowers. They had an unusually strong perfume too.
Like all caterpillars, these are very hungry. First spotted very near the start of April, they were tiny. By the end of the month, the alkanets they were living on had lots of holes in the leaves. The caterpillars were about three times as long. They would have increased their weight not by three times, but by three times three times three times. Perhaps twenty-some-odd times!
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Parental care (coots)
A West Park coot chick, by now quite well grown. Big enough to forage for itself. But as it swam along by the bank of the lake, one of the parents was still sticking with it. It was getting a mouthful of food for itself, then being given a mouthful by the parent; then repeat.