Wolves Wild

Heavy corroded mooring rings on a jetty in the south of France resort of Cassis, near Marseilles.

Male common blue damselfly, this time resting on a reed leaf.

Taken in the same area as the damselfly in yesterday’s post, but probably not the same individual. There were several of them around that day.

Female lobed argiope spider which featured in a post yesterday.

These pictures were taken a couple of days later.

There was no longer any sign of the male …

Male common blue damselfly resting on a leaf of one of the bramble bushes by Pool Hall fishing lake.

Lobed argiope (Argiope lobata) spiders, a female and a much smaller male.

The male is on the opposite side of the female’s web to her, as he approaches her.

It’s one of those spider species where, if they mate, he is destined to be the honeymoon breakfast.

She was at least an inch long. But arachnophobes don’t need to worry. This species only lives in southern Europe and further away. These were a stone’s throw from the Med near the French resort of Cassis.

An update in another post tomorrow.

Coot parent, possibly the mother, taking a young chick onto the lake at West Park.

Feeding the chick.

I’ve seen lots of coots with chicks this year. The chicks have all been singletons: two to four chicks is usually more common.

Two views of the same black-headed gull on the rail at the lakeside at West Park, showing that the name isn’t completely accurate.

Lesser black-backed gull, which was standing next to the black-headed gull.

One of the parents of the chicks in the previous post takes some care of its feathers …

then dives in search of food …

before swimming off.

Distant view of a couple of fast disappearing crested grebe chicks on Pool Hall fishing pool a few weeks back.

Gooseberries and blackcurrants filling out and ripening.

Cinnabar moths are vivid red and black, making them one of the most noticeable day-flying moths.

This one was fluttering busily, inspecting vegetation by the towpath at Castlecroft.

The bright red of a cardinal beetle contrasting with the greens of the nettle leaf it is on.