Wolves Wild

Heather just coming into flower in one of the heathy areas of Sutton Park.

A wider view of this landscape. The line of trees masks the railway line which cuts across the park.

Scarletina bolete, a mushroom with a cap with an upper surface that looks almost velvety. This one was the best of several which were growing on the grassy area in front of the Finchfield shops.

The flesh exposed when a kicked-over one was cut turned blue almost immediately.

Damsons, almost ripe enough to eat.

Entrance to a badger’s sett, in a sandy bank in a quiet country lane by Forestry Commission land. Setts normally have several entrances, usually better camouflaged by vegetation than this one.

The trail of sand below the entrance is characteristic.

More of the vegetation on the margin of the new pool in the Smestow Valley, this time a patch of the reeds.

Lime hawk moth caterpillar, large and green, walking across a pavement surprisingly quickly.

It had dropped out of a lime tree just in front of me.

The structure sticking up or out was at the rear end, tail-like. The caterpillars of other hawk-moth species have similar structures.

Single iridescent feather, probably from a magpie, which was lying in the middle of the towpath.

Elderberries at different stages of ripening, even though they were growing on the same bush and pictured at the same time.

They are one of the fruits which which looks likely to produce a good crop this year.

Kniphofia, or more familiarly red hot poker, flower growing in a bed at the back of the West Park Tea Rooms.

Something seemed to have caught the attention of this moorhen and young chick as they stood on a flattened bed of reeds.

Plant growing in the area which until recently was fenced off to allow the bedding in of the new pool in the Smestow Valley. I’m not sure what it is, but perhaps an orchid.

Honeysuckle berries: they’ll turn a darker red as they become completely ripe.