Wolves Wild

These berries, on the same bushes as the posts earlier this autumn, are now making their final colour change to black.

Described as in the title in recent field guides, but as Jew’s ear fungus until recently. This itself was from an original name as Judas’ ear fungus.

The name derives from the slight resemblance to a human ear, and its habit of growing on elder trees. According to folklore, the elder was used by Judas when he hung himself.

This heron, whose pictures were taken within minutes of the one featured a few days ago, was standing calmly in a patch of reeds a couple of hundred yards further downstream on the canal that the other.

It gave no sign of wanting to take flight to avoid the disturbance on the other bank.

These ivy and woody nightshade berries have become intertwined, looking like the result of a weird genetic modification.

The new catkins (top), seeds (middle picture) and turning leaves were all pictured on the same tree on the same day.

The conifers by Compton lock on the Staffs and Worcs canal are a favourite vantage point for a heron.

This one’s feathers were catching in the wind, showing the plumes which were so attractive to Victorian milliners and their customers.

Finally it had had enough attention.

Now fully ripened.

This is the same individual as posted previously. In the eight days between the two sets of pictures being taken there was a lot of heavy rain. This resulted in the fading in the red colour of the cap.

The flowering season seemed to pass by so quickly I hardly noticed this year, and already the ivy berries are beginning to ripen.