Moorhen chicks, three different broods, seen on the same day, on the stretch of the canal from Newbridge to Aldersley Junction.
Sycamore flowers, West Park
Dangling from a young sycamore by West Park lake, this was a flower in mid-May.
Banded demoiselles (Calopteryx splendens), male
Banded demoiselle damselflies have been having a good year in 2018. Vegetation along the banks of streams, rivers and canals has been attracting them in larger numbers than I’ve ever noticed before. These are males, with their vivid electric blue bodies.
Muscovy drake, West Park, preening
Muscovy duck drake by the edge of West Park lake, bending his neck in all sorts of impossible-looking ways and spreading his feathers while preening.
Elm seeds ripening, Newbridge
Seeds ripening on an elm tree overhanging the canal at Newbridge, developing from flowers seen here from the same tree.
Orchids galore, Baggeridge Country Park
Lots of orchids, in the midst of plenty of other wild flowers, at Baggeridge Country Park a couple of days ago. There’s one lone pyramidal orchid, the only one I saw. Can you spot which picture it is? The others are spotted orchids, southern marsh orchids, or hybrids of these two species.