Wolves Wild

Cormorant high in a tree on West Park’s boating lake island, spreading its wings out to dry its wet plumage.

Hoverfly which was resting on holly leaf, perhaps trying to warm itself in the December sun.

Lone male pochard on the lake at West Park. Whenever I notice it, it seems to have found a quiet patch away from all the other birds on the water.

Bold robin, facing me as it stood on a nearby park bench. Not sure if it was challenging me or asking for scraps.

The bench was the bird’s regular perch – and toilet.

Fruit of a shrub, originally from the far east. One of the plants grown to bring some late autumn / winter colour to West Park.

Tawny funnel caps, quite common mushrooms with a depressed centre to their caps. Usually found popping up through leaf litter, and might be around for a few more weeks yet.

It seems that quite often there are several herons on the small islands on West Park lake, in positions where they must be aware of one another’s presence, but apparently standing trying their best to deny that.

On this occasion there were two of them directly opposite the Conservatory. One was balanced on the protective railing, the other a little further back in the bushes.

A few minutes later, a third heron flew in. It landed on the rail on the opposite side of the island.

Clump of mushrooms, species unidentified, growing where the towpath meets up with the brickwork of Meccano Bridge – Staffordshire blue bricks of course.

One of the jays at Bantock Park, making a rapid retreat back to the obscurity of a tree top.

One of the West Park cormorants was sitting at the top of their usual tree. A second bird flew in and tried to land on the nearby branch.

The first bird squawked violently, and lashed out with several bites aimed at the newcomer. After a short period, the second bird flew off again. It looked like some of the feathers on its wing might have been damaged or disarranged.

It circled the lake three times, then came in to land again. This time, it settled a little lower in the tree, perhaps a yard lower that the other bird.

Incumbent seemed to be getting ready for another go, then acceped the other’s presence now it was in a more subordinate position.

West Park squirrel which was coming down the trunk of a tree, in its mouth a peanut which it had got earlier.

Fly agaric mushrooms grow in association with trees, almost always birch trees. This one (and several others which had been kicked over) was growing under a Scots pine, with no birches nearby.