Wolves Wild

Wigeon, constantly whistling to one another, swimming on a stretch of the open water at the RSPB Bolling Green Reserve. Others moving as a group as they fed among the tussocky grass.

The busy Exeter to Exmouth main road crosses the River Clyst by a fairly narrow, historic stone bridge. It’s only a few years since there’s been a wooden bridge for pedestrians and cyclists running beside it, built with the development of the RSPB Goosemoor Nature Reserve.

Already, the footbridge supports a rich array of algae. This is a small sample, mainly of those growing on the rail inches above the floor level.

The great egret, still standing on the far side of the Bowling Green Marsh Reserve, was now approached by a heron stalking towards it, giving a strong impression of being on a mission to intimidate the incumbent. The heron carried on striding for a few yards beyond where the egret was standing, but then the egret, immobile up to this point, flew off.

In what I presume was a deliberate decision to aim for a colour match with the violets flowering nearby, the crocuses planted in Topsham churchyard were all of the violet form.

Lurking at the very back of the RSPB Bowling Green Reserve, right by the railway line, was a lone great egret. It’s just about visible in these pictures.

Yet more early flowering Devon violets. These were growing on the grassy roadside bank further along the same lane as the white violets which featured in a post earlier this week.