Wildlife from Wolverhampton and nearby
Brown hawker (probably – they kept moving too fast for a clear view) dragonflies on patrol over their chosen territories: one a stretch of canal between Compton and Wightwick, the other by prefab weir a little further along the same canal, heading towards Meccano Bridge.
Even in the heat of summery August, the first signs that autumn’s coming. Wild arum berries already ripening in a shady spot under trees.
This year’s cygnets by the West Park lake. Originally there were six in the brood, a number which held until they were getting to be almost as big as adults. For a few weeks, I only visited the park occasionally, and never spotted the swan family. When I did finally seen them again, there were only five of the younger birds.
After heavy rain in summer there is usually a burst of fungi before the main flush in the autumn. I noticed all these different species (grey spotted amanita, bolete, scaly earthball, clouded agaric) on the same walk in mid-August.
Pigeons paddling thigh-deep in a puddle left afterheavy overnight rain on one of the paths in West Park.
Flowers on a ragwort plant attracting a gathering of bees and hoverflies, all busy feeding on or gathering the nectar.