Bringing a bit of brightness on a dull early January day, alyssum flowering in a front garden.
Lone female goosander, Perton
Before Christmas, there had been a flock of around 25 and 30 goosanders on the upper pool at Perton. Last week, all I could spot was this lone female, on the gravel by the inlet.
Deceivers with markings on cap
Deceiver mushrooms. The markings on the caps are not usual, and may have been left by snails crawling all over the fungi.
He’s back: mandarin drake at Perton
In mid-December, this mandarin drake stayed for several days on the lower pool at Perton, but when I visited just before Christmas I couldn’t see any sign it was still around.
Last week he was back, perhaps having found the spot where people come to feed the birds. He was swimming round near the ducks, geese, swans and gulls by the inlet to the upper pool.
Red witchhazel, Finchfield
Red flowers (not the more usual yellow) on a hamamelis, a.k.a. witch hazel in one of the front gardens on Finchfield Road facing Bantock Park.
Box, with flower
Box, forming the front hedge to one of the houses on Richmond Road, with its tiny flowers almost escaping notice.
