Wolves Wild

Hawthorn flowers, sometimes known as may. These pictures were taken mid-April, when bushes in the most favoured spots were developing buds and the first few flowers had just opened. For some reason, the subject seemed timely now.

Kestrel hunting, hovering over the Barley Field.

Kestrels used to be quite a likely sight in the Smestow valley, but this is the first one I’ve seen for over a decade.

Some of its tail feathers were missing, but that didn’t seem to be giving it any problems.

Its technique of hovering meant I go off a lot of shots of the bird.

Among the first of the wildflowers which are now encouraged on the Smestow Valley’s Barley Field, a few cowslips look a little sind-battered.

Cormorant on the River Ouse, not for from the Ouse Bridge in the centre of York, diving for fish and catching some.

Just the ripple left where it went under.

An exhibition of the products of two glassworkers in Durham Cathedral currently and until this September.

Katie Paterson’s the Moment features the sorts of invertebrates which rarely get represented artistically. Monster Chetwynd’s Life of St Cuthbert shows the saint expelling a demon than relaxing with a pair of otters. There’s nothing to portray the saint’s extreme dislike of women.

St Margaret’s Loch, a small pool at the foot of Arthur’s Seat. Evidently a popular spot for bringing small children to feed the ducks. A few Canada geese get in on the act, and a lot of swans.

As we emerged from a belt of trees onto the shore of the loch, a heron was having a disagreement with one of the swans. It was by far the boldest (or most reckless) heron I’ve ever seen. Not just in taking on a swan when many swans were nearby – and winning. But also in standing so near the section of the shore where several people were feeding the swans, when the heron itself seemed to be after fish. Most of these pictures were taken on my mobile, before I had time to dig the camera out of the bag.