Bright red buds opening into flowers on a Chinese quince (a.k.a. japonica) shrub.
Is this a muscovy / aylesbury cross?
White duck near the lake at West Park, very much larger than the mallards. Thought from the skull shape and the black patch at the back of the head that it could have been a muscovy / aylesbury cross.
Seen one time only – there have been no signs of the bird on several subsequent visits to the park.
Sticky: flower and leaf buds, horse chestnut
A horse chestnut flower bud at the end of a twig, with its sticky coating. A little further down the twig, the flower buds are smaller.
Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant Compton
Male pheasant in the field between the canal and the Smestow Brook at Compton. Seemingly unaware of my presence on the other side of the hedge.
Red dead nettle, Castlecroft
More spring flowers starting to come out. These red dead nettles were growing in the shelter of garden walls on a pavement at Castlecroft.
“Dead” because they may look like nettles, but they’re not. So there’s no sting.
Gathering nesting material, squirrel, Castlecroft
Squirrel on a grassy area on one of the wide pavements in Castlecroft, gathering nesting material for its dray.