Autumn is the peak season for fungi, and time to start looking out for the alien-seeming earth stars. These were growing in Hawthorn Wood back in 2009.
Ivy flower with visiting hoverfly
The flowering season form most plants is over or drawing to a close. Fir ivy, it’s just beginning, making the plant a hot spot for visiting insects like this hoverfly.
On the boards, common darter
As the vegetation takes over from open water on the Compton Park pool, the habitat becomes less weloming for dragonflies. There had been no sign of them all summer, in contrast with previous years. Then, on a visit last month, two male common darters, sunning themselves and advertising their presence to attract females, both resting on the boards of the footbridge.
Parasol species mushrooms, Castle Grounds, Bridgnorth
A pair of mushrooms of one of the smaller parasol species, growing in one of the flower beds in the Castle Grounds Park at Bridgnorth.
Brown: Dutch garden, Bantock Park
An exotic brown plant, possibly a decorative grass, as the centrepiece of each flowerben in the Dutch garden, Bantock Park, recently.
Canal scenes, Wightwick and Newbridge
One narrowboat descending Wightwick Lock, a carrion crow (albeit plastic) decorating its tiller. And the colourful boats lined up at Newbridge moorings, reflected in the water of the canal.