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David

Turkey tail cluster, West Park

Turkey tail cluster, West Park

Cluster of turkey tail fungus on the gradually rotting stump of a felled tree in West Park. It’s a very common bracket fungus, mainly on dead wood.

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David

Snowdrops, Bantock Park, sunrise

Snowdrops, Bantock Park, sunrise

One of the clumps of snowdrops in Banotck Park, with Bantock House in the background. The sun was just rising over the roofline of Bradmore Road, lighting the area.

Snowdrops, Bantock Park, sunrise

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David

Kingsmead Marsh, Stafford

Kingsmead Marsh, Stafford

Kingsmead Marsh is one of two nature reserves lying directly outside Stafford’s ring road (the other one is Doxey Marshes).

Pearl Brook, Kingsmead Marsh, Stafford

Pearl Brook forms one edge of Kingsmead Marsh, which is much more densely vegetated than Doxey.

Kingsmead Marsh, Stafford

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David

Magpie delving, West Park

Magpie delving, West Park

One of the West Park magpies, systematically delving away at a small patch of exposed earth in West Park a few days ago, probably in search of something to vary its diet.

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David

First crocusses, Bantock Park, 2018

First crocusses, 2018

The first clump of crocusses to come into flower under the trees in Bantock Park this year, in the last week of January.

First crocusses, 2018

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David

Heron gathering twigs, West Park

Heron gathering twigs

Young heron on the shore of boating lake island, West Park, gathering twigs on a cold January morning. If it was gathering material for building a nest, it was doing so when no other herons were visible in the area.

A couple of years ago a pair of young but mature herons did have a nest on the opposite side of the same island, where they raised a chick.