Wolves Wild

Ducklings and mother mallard on the canal between Autherley Junction and Pendeford. The ducklings, nine in total, were only recently hatched in late July.

I’ve not been getting to West Park very often recently. If any herons have been visiting, it must have been on a different schedule – it’s a long time since I last saw any. Then this one put in a brief appearance, standing tall on the fallen but still growing willow.

There have been very few cinnabar moth caterpillars this year. Until a recent visit to Himley Park, I had seen precisely one.

On a group of ragworts near the bottom pool, finally, several on each plant, busyly eating leaves and flowers.

Peacock butterflies, eagerly eating from the flowers of buddleia bushes, or resting on leaves.

Herefords doze in the shade of a small group of trees at the edge of a field at Pendeford. On an equally sunny day, a horse strides through its field at Tettenhall.

The dark bird is a muscovy duck I first noticed in West Park in June. The other, much larger, appears to be a muscovy / Aylesbury cross. First spotted a few weeks later. Since then, the two have gone round together.