Wolves Wild

Male blackbird hunting for food on a patch of ground with short grass by the canal towpath at Penkridge. Recent rain had left the soil damp, so the bird was finding rich pickings.

Daffodils opening or already open at the start of the month. Heavy rain earlier had left the flowers with lots of drops of water, but the sun had come out for a while when I got these pictures.

Nest-hole of one (or more) of the ring-necked parakeets now resident locally. Seen from the opposite side of the canal, a highish vantage point provided by the bridge over the side arm to Victoria Wharf.

I saw the bird fly into the trees, calling loudly. It landed on one of the trees next to the one with the nest, carrying on squawking. Seconds later it went into the nest – just as I’d got my camera ready.

Nest is perhaps home to one or a pair of the birds from the small flock which hang out in the woodland on the other side of the canal, nearer to Newbridge.

Japanese cherry in a front garden, the flowers all out at the end of January.

The bright blue of the wing feathers, and the green of the tail of these magpies is due to iredescence. The colours change depending on the angle of the light.

The birds were searching for things to eat in the short grass of West Park, pausing frequently to flirt with one another.

Purple (or perhaps lilac) crocuses just before the flowers began to open. Most of these were growing in someone’s garden, right next to the pavement. The larger clump were by the canal towpath as it went through Penkridge.

One of the West Park swans, with a downy feather sticking on the side of its beak. The bird had probably just been preening.

Little grebe on the canal by the Wildside Activity Centre. It didn’t want to be watched, still less photographed.

Wintry scene in the Dell, East Park. Housing estates, scrap yards and Monmore Green Stadium are all just a few minutes walk away.

Seconds after the last picture in the previous post the cormorant launched itself for a short flight to land on the water. A brief pause, then it disappeared as it dived after fish.

West Park’s semi-resident cormorant on its favourite perch high over boating lake island, on the look out for something to eat.

Goldfinch pausing to look around as it stands on buddleia twigs before deciding whether it is safe to eat at a feeder on the bush.