Wolves Wild

Berries on a buckthorn bush which was growing on a patch of rough ground by one of the roads on Wolverhampton Science Park.

Arrowhead leaf is a perrenial plant which grows in shallow waters, including in canals locally. It was originally native to north and central America.

Either I am noticing it more often, or it is spreading in the canals.

Hoverfly which was facing me as it rested on a nettle leaf.

Wild arum (lords and ladies) berries usually ripen from the top of the stem, often giving the plant a traffic light-style colour scheme.

This one was most unusual: all the berries were at the intermediate, yellow, stage at the same time.

Ladybird larva on a leaf in early morning sunshine.

The head of a teazle, with the seeds already ripening. The plant was bent over, giving a view as from above which would normally only be possible after considerable effort.

Two great crested grebe chicks swimming on the water of the fishing lake at Pool Hall. They were big enough to be on their own – the parents were nowhere in sight.

Carrion crow strutting boldly as it walks through short grass heading more or less in my direction.

The sun shining through a spider’s web anchored on twigs just above eye level made little rainbows where the light came through the filaments.

Bright red of ripening honeysuckle berries contrasting with the green of the climber’s foliage.

The hoverflies on the thuistle flower are a different species to the one on the ragwort, but I’ve grouped these pictures together because I took them within a few minutes of each other.

Figwort flowers are tiny, but still seem attractive to insects. The long, slender plant likes the banks of canals.