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David

Bryony berries

Bryony berries

Bryony berries beginning to ripen (above) and an image in shades of green (below).

Bryony berries

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David

Thistledown

Thistledown

These thistle seeds hadn’t quite succeeded in getting away from their parent plant.

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David

Moorhen and half grown chick

Moorhen and half grown chick

Moorhens are normally the most timid of the local waterbirds. Those living on our canals prefer to keep the width of the water between themselves and walkers.

The adult bird here was the first I ever remember swimming towards me as I came down the tow path.

Moorhen and half grown chick

It became clear that the bird was still feeding four well-grown chicks. This task is normally shared by the adult pair, but there was no sign of a second adult here.

Half grown moorhen chick

The birds were right by Newbridge, and were probably used to getting a share of the bread brought for the resident ducks.

Half grown moorhen chick

A group of half a dozen ducks were indeed lurking nearby, though they seemed to have a better sense that I wasn’t going to feed them.

Moorhen and half grown chick

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David

Reed seed head with a spider’s web

Reed seed head with a spider web

A reed growing beside the canal at Castlecroft had been used as the scaffolding by a spider building its web.

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David

Sloe just beginning to ripen

Sloe just beginning to ripen

One of this year’s sloes, still green as it just begins to ripen.

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David

Caught in a web

Caught in a web

The remains of what is probably a hoverfly trapped in a spider’s web, now wrapped up and stored for later consumption.