Wolves Wild

Some of the squirrels in West Park seem to be getting too well fed.

Picture taken before the big freeze. Perhaps the rolls of fat helped this individual survive the extreme conditions?

On New Year’s Day three herons were showing themselves within a couple of hundred yards along the Staffs and Worcs canal at Compton.

This one was intently fishing, then pausing to give its feathers a lot of attention.

On the opposite side of Compton bridge, this one was more focussed on getting something to eat.

It appears to be a younger bird, and was more wary as people passed along the other bank.

And finally a couple of views of the third bird, keeping a lookout in the trees above Compton lock.

Showing a surprising amount of growth on New Year’s Day.

This kestrel using a high twig as a lookout post to watch for prey. Shortly after this shot was taken, the bird saw off an encroaching buzzard.

Mosses grow on all sorts of apparently difficult environments. The ones pictured here were growing on the tops of walls beside a busy main road.

The stalks on the moss pictured above are supporting the spore pods.

This male bird coping with the ice on the West Park pool at the weekend, showing the rich colours of his plumange.

Last year’s fruit and this year’s catkins hanging from the same branches back on New Year’s Day.

This little grebe paused to give its feathers a good cleaning after swimming in convoy with a couple of mallards (below).

This magpie’s haughty retreat gives a view of the rich iridescence of feathers which normally appear black.

A robin uses one bird feeder as a perch for its approach to the other feeder.

Thanks to reliable bird feeders, this male blackbird has kept well fed through the recent hard spell.

A member of the thrush family which flies south to Britain for the easier living in the winter.

Fieldfares normally come into urban areas only when conditions get harsh – here to feast on a rotting apple left out for birds. Understandably, the bird was more concerned with eating than with showing itself off at a good angle.