Wolves Wild

Rising on a thermal in the Smestow Valley. A buzzard pair resident on Tettenhall ridge, seen here from Compton Rough.

Mid-September: ivy just beginning to come into flower when most other plants are well along ripening their seeds, berries or fruit. A magnet for insects getting some ivy pollen. Insects so intent in their task on sunny days, they carry on undisturbed when I get up close with a close-up lens. Here hoverflies.

Red which should be for warning on this yew “berry” – a fleshy aril surrounding the seed. The bright colour is there to tempt some bird or animal to eat it, dispersing the seed via its digestive tract. Can be contrary to the health or even the life of whatever, though some birds, such as thrushes or waxwings, are able to digest the arils and pass out the toxic seeds undigested.

Bumble bee performing acrobatic manoeuvers as it collects pollen from the flowes of a buddleia.

Giant funnel cap mushrooms by the edge of the Railway Walk as it passed through a deep cutting in Wombourne. All the fruiting bodies were part eaten.

Swan family of two adults and two well-grown cygnets not doing very much by the River Sow on the Doxey Marshes Nature Reserve. They were only a couple of yards from the path, but stayed set in place despite a steady stream of dogwalkers passing.