Wolves Wild

Views over the Exe estuary with groups of brent geese flying as they moved around responding to changes in the state of the tide.

Ground-hugging species of speedwell, already flowering last week.

Great tit resting on a telephone wire in the Shropshire countryside.

Exe estuary with rain approaching. Cloudbursts already visible over the Haldon Forest on the heights and around the mouth of the estuary.

One of the West Park squirrels eating what appears to be a peanut which it had just recovered from a stash.

Bold herring gull, a resident on the cathedral green at Exeter.

A variety of deciduous trees showing their shapes while they were without their leaves recently.

Some were growing in south Staffordshire farmland, others in two Local Nature Reserves: Doxey Marshes in Stafford, and Brueton Park / Malvern Park in Solihull.

Earth star fungi often seem to be growing half-hidden among the vegetable detritus under hedges. This one was partly covered by fallen leaves, beginning to turn to compost, in the hedge by the canal towpath at Castlecroft.

Rugged looking outcrop of sandstone, well covered in lichen, by the Claverley Brook crosses a minor road at Lower Hopstone.

Pied wagtails, one walking on the prom at Dawlish Warren, others searching crevices for something to eat by the River Exe at Topsham.

Brightly-coloured and large preserved butterflies from the display at Exeter Museum (RAMM).

The museum’s butterfly display takes up an entire wall of one room, the gatherings of the efforts of (I’m guessing) the efforts of a gaggle of Victorian gentleman collectors.

I find such a profusion of specimens a bit sad.

Two herons on the q.v. One was in the reeds by the River Clyst, the other just off the Quay in the centre of Topsham.