Wolves Wild

Drying seed-pods of a yellow rattle. This is the stage in the plant’s life-cycle when it rattles as the seeds are shaken around in the loose pods.

Some kind of polygonom flowering recently near the new pool in Compton Park.

Giant polypore growing at the base of a tree stump in Wombourne churchyard.

Another, much darker, on the lawn at Finchfield Library. This one was probably growing from a tree root.

Ragusa roses are rose species with particularly large and wide hips. Originally from eastern Asia, they were originally imported as an ornamental garden plant but can also be found growing wild.

Damsel flies resting on vegetation growing at the edge of the fishing lake at Pool Hall. They are possibly female beautiful demoiselles.

Mother mallard and a single duckling on Compton Park’s new water feature.

The last traces of the duckling’s downy infant feathers can just be seen behind the wings.

The mother was no longer there on the following day.

Purple brittlegill, also called the blackish purple russula, among the vegetation on the verge of a country lane.

All, or almost all, the flower-covered stalks of a purple loosestrife. Like the picture in the previous post, this was taken from the footbridge crossing the new Wetland Lake.

Single stem of the purple loosestrife growing by the new pool in Compton Park.

A family of moorhens were happily feeding on the towpath side of the canal opposite the Wildside Activity Centre.

The two parents were there, together with two well-grown chicks. But this was the only bird which wasn’t facing directly away from me.