Wolves Wild

Mature heron on boating lake island, West Park, in bright morning sunlight. Can you spot how to tell that it’s on a favourite perch without regular vists to the site?

One fly agaric mushroom, under the conifers at the edge of the pitch and putt course in Bantock Park. Now we’ve had the first frost, it’s likely to be next year before there’s any more around.

Tawny funnel cap mushrooms growing right alongside the edge of a hedge of beech bushes, Bantock Park. Quite common in autumn, and, like lots of mushrooms, very variable in form and colour.

Seed-heads from the teazles growing by the wetland area, Compton Park, seen in silhouette or semi-silhouette from the footbridge.

Perton on a chilly misty morning. The resident muscovy drake by the inlet to the large pool, the spot where people come to feed the birds. It wasn’t the sort of weather where people were coming to get rid of their unused bread, so the duck was methodically preening its feathers.

Common jelly fungus can indeed be found often, and at any time of year. This was on the footbridge over the pool at Compton Park. Not a good sign for the long-term future of the bridge: the fungus lives on damp, decaying wood.