Ragwort going to seed

Ragwort flower and seed

A ragwort in Barley Field: the last of the flowers was going over, most turning to seed, some of which had already dispersed.

Autumn colours start to arrive

Tettenhall ridge, trees beginnning to turn autumnal

Broad-leaf trees have begun the change into their autumn colours before they lose their leaves entirely.

At the end of last month, Tettenhall ridge showed only the slightest signs of this starting. On the same day, a tall beech on Albert Road was already a mixture of reds and yellows in the crown.

Beech tree with its leaves on the turn, Albert Road

Earth star in undergrowth

Earth star in undergrowth

Earth stars often grow in places were they are obscured by other vegetation. This one was only visible through a gap in a dense howthorn hedge.

Tiny earth star

Tiny earth star

The spherical parts of earth star fungi are usually an inch or more in diameter. This one was flattened, and smaller than a penny.

Tiny hoverfly on a bramble flower

Tiny hoverfly on a bramble flower

The bright sunlight was bringing out the irridescence of the wings of this tiny hoverfly, and giving its eyes and thorax a metallic glow. It was feeding on a flower on one of the brambles in Barley Field.

Ivy flower buds

Ivy flower buds

Buds of ivy flowers, pictured a month or so back, before the flowers opened.

Ivy flower buds