Wolves Wild

Marsh marigolds – otherwise known as king cups, growing by the edge of the small pool at Bantock Park. Flower buds on the point of opening

A group of five tufted ducks were on one of the smaller pools by the path at Doxey Marshes when I visited recently.

A sunny bank by a bridge over the canal. Until recently it has been covered every spring in violet and lesser celandine flowers in their contrasting colours. Now there are just the celandines.

Spring is definitely on the way when butterflies start showing themselves. This tortoiseshell was feeding on gorse flowers in the warm sun on Good Friday morning.

Mallard drake standing on the shore near West Park lake. The bird kept raising its wings slightly, while the light caught the colours and textures of its feathers.

Someone regularly puts out bird seed at various spots by the path in Baggeridge Country Park near where it joins the Himley Hall grounds. One such spot is a tree stump by Island Pool.

Watching that stump for six minutes gave five bird species coming to feed despite several interruptions from dog walkers and joggers. There were bluetits and great tits, a nuthatch, dunnock and a robin.

I’ve also included a picture of a chaffinch which was hanging out on the edge of the path by the cress beds nearby.

Spring flowers on a plum tree growing wild in Compton Rough recently.

Varied forms and muted colours of lichens growing on a couple of the bushes by the canal in Compton Rough.

Lone shelduck, feeding some distance from the hide at Doxey Marshes.

The first few pussy willow catkins beginning to emerge from their buds, another stage in the arrival of spring.

Two of the three great crested grebes on Pool Hall fisheries lake towards the end of March. Each bird had a different stretch of the water as its territory, and was swimming up and down on patrol to make sure the others kept out.

The first bluebells I spotted this year, seen earlier today.

Small clumps, not a full-scale carpet, growing on a sheltered and shady bank by the canal not far from Aldersley Junnction.