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David

Alder: seeds and catkins, Perton

Alder: seeds and catkins, Perton

Every winter, alder trees have a mass of long dangling male catkins and cone shaped fruits hanging from the same twigs. The female catkins, shaped like the fruits, will begin to develop soon, green rather than brown in colour.

These were on a tree by the Penk at Perton.

Alder: seeds and catkins, Perton

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David

Velvet shanks, slimy when wet

Velvet shanks, slimy when wet

Velvet shank mushrooms grow on dead wood in the winter months. When they are wet after rain, they look like they are slimy.

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David

Fleeing jackdaw, Finchfield

Fleeing jackdaw, Finchfield

Finchfield jackdaw flying off to a safer spot after being disturbed by someone walking their dog.

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David

Ear fungus, another return

Ear fungus, another return

Every time I go along the Railway Walk between Newbridge and Compton, the ear fungus growing up the trunk of an elder looks like it has a different texture.

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David

Bubbles with bubbles

Bubbles with bubbles

Ice on the then partially-frozen surface of the West Park lake. Bubbles of air below the ice, several inches across, seemed to have been spawning much smaller bubbles.

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David

First snowdrops, Bantock Park, mud splattered

First snowdrops, Bantock Park, mud splattered

The first snowdrops I’ve spotted for 2021, splattered with mud thrown up by the heavy rains. Growing in Bantock Park; Bantock House can be seen, out of focus, in the background.

First snowdrops, Bantock Park, mud splattered