Skipper butterfly resting on the leaf of a bulrush in the pool at Compton Park. It was too far away to identify which species of skipper – to do that, it’s necessary to get a view of details like the underside of the antennae.
Young blackbird sunbathing, canal footpath
A sweltering early afternoon. Very few people about on the canal towpath. A young blackbird, taking the opportunity to use the path to sunbathe on.
Small tortoiseshell butterfly, summer generation
Another butterfly where the summer generation has coincided with the mid-July heatwave, a small tortoiseshell.
Holly blue butterfly, summer generation
Another butterfly on its second, summer, generation of the year. Holly blue warming itself by spreading its wings on the canal towpath, then eating or drinking from something insalubrious nearby.
Grey spotted amanitas on a lawn
Grey spotted amanita mushrooms growing on a front lawn, the larger one already well nibbled, probably by slugs or snails.
Comma butterfly, summer generation
The heatwave at the middle of the month brought out the summer generation of butterflies in fair numbers. Here, a couple of the commas which were around.