Wolves Wild

Group of shaggy parasol mushrooms growing under low-hanging yews by the bridge in West Park. One of them down on the ground, possibly knocked by a questing dog.

River Severn at Bridgnorth late last month, on the day when the flood was at its highest, with the riverside footpaths under perhaps three feet of water. Views from the old road bridge and from Castle Walk.

Wrinkled peach fungus, with its delicate colour, used to be very rare. It grew on dead elms, so when the Dutch elm disease struck, this fungus became much commoner.Now the elms killed in that outbreak have decayed away, the fungus is once again rare, perhaps even rarer that before. So it was a pleasure to come across these in Himley Plantation: one fruiting body on a fallen trunk, the other nearby on a detatched section of branch.

The West Park swan family, including such of this year’s cygnets which were with the parents at the time, landing after taking a short hop flight from one side of the boating lake to the other. Perhaps practice in flying skills for the youngsters.

Yet another bird taking advantage of the large puddles left in West Park after persistent heavy rains. The most independent-minded of this year’s cygnets spending some time away from the rest of the family (nearby on the boating lake). It didn’t seem to be doing much, other than an occasional brief preen.

Small clump of horse mushrooms (Agaricus arvensis), which I noticed growing in a front garden. Someone had already uprooted one, so I was able to get a clear picture of the under-side; the gills and the ring on the stem.