Wolves Wild

A goosander swimming in one of the streams  formed by the landscaped River Isar as it flows through Munich’s Englischer Garten.

Rather more exotic than yesterday’s crow, a red squirrel coming out to eat from the peanuts someone has left on a drain cover.

The Englischer Garten is a huge public park near the centre of Munich, known among other features for a large beergarden, a standing wave on the river Isar which is a mecca for surfers, and a section of the park where nude sunbathing is allowed. It’s also a haven for wildlife.

Here a carrion crow, patronising a spot which looks like there is regular food left out for birds.

An elaborate light fitting showing a whale which has just surfaced for air. The hops and barley below give the clue that this is the sign for a bar, on a quiet side street leading down to the river in the centre of the old city in Cologne.

Probably Belgium’s most famous statue, and often clothed in fancy dress. This seasonal costume was some years ago, but may be an annual occurrence.

There’s a bear on the flag of Berlin, and even a theory that the city is so named because there were lots of bears in the area when it was founded. So bears were the city’s obvious choice when the decorated statue fashion was at its height some years ago. The pair here with the raised arms are a small sample of what were (and possibly still are) scattered across the city.

The one in Christmas clothing was one an up-market shopping street in Berlin. Together with elves, reindeer and Santas, they’re prone to pop up in any German Christmas Market, Birmingham included.