Wolves Wild

West Park’s swans and cygnets near one of the islands. The pen (adult female bird) was stretching her neck upwards to eat leaves from a willow overhanging the water.

Red campions as the flowers were coming out towards the end of last month.

These bullrush seed heads must have had a thorough soaking in heavy rain, matting the seeds tightly together.

Heron, female of the pair which have been nesting in West Park, catching fish by one of the islands in the lake. Minutes later, standing on a rail, pausing before returning to the nest.

Mass of cow parsley plants in flower at the edge of barley field. In the distance hawthorns on the Railway Walk embankment. Possibly two hawthorns growing together, one with pink flowers.

A small selection from the West Park pigeon population, showing off the irridescent colours of their plumage in spring sunlight.

All but the final picture feature males puffing themselves up, trying to arouse the interest of females. The last shot is of one of the distinctly underwhelmed females.

Head and shoulders portaits of a greylag goose. Even when they are at knee height, they always seem to me like they are looking down their noses (or down their beaks?) at me.

Small moth at rest on the broad leaf of a bullrush, giving a fairly convincing impression of being a smudge of dirt.

Flowers on two of West Park’s rhododendron bushes, right next to each other, blooming in contrasting colours recently.

West Park swan pair and their four young cygnets. These pictures were taken early on the morning after those in yesterday’s post; the young birds had now hatched about twenty-four hours previously.

When I arrived, the swan family were on the water close to boating lake island. After a couple of minutes they began to head out into the open water in a long, gentle paddle which ended near the shore by where I was standing.

One of the West Park nesting herons at the edge of an island. It caught and ate something, probably a series of small fish. Then it flew off to join its mate on the nest.

Close-ups of red flowers on the same horse chestnut tree as in the previous post.