Close-up of part of an umbellifer seed-head, showing the papery surrounding of the actual seeds. This picture was taken only a few steps from the one in the previous post: the umbellifer was growing in the rough vegetation fringing the quarry.
One of the faces of the former sandstone quarry at the back of Wightwick Mill lock. Across the middle of the picture a band of the lichen which is growing on the rock seems to prefer one particular layer.
A few weeks ago, various pundits were claiming that this year’s weather would lead to spectacular autumn colours. I’ve not seen many signs of that yet, but I did like the delicate shades of these leaves.
One of the West Park squirrels burying part of its winter hoard right up by the brick and stonework forming the edge of the lake.
Something else I tried out for the first time: the high speed movie mode on my camera. This is of a wasp eating on an ivy flower.
Hopefully the picture quality will improve with practice. But even on a first try I was stunned watching the segments of the insect’s abdomen moving in relation to one another, and the way the antennae waved around.
These crab apples were growing on an isolated tree in a field by the Staffs & Worcs canal, which is now part of the Smestow Valley LNR. Back in the days when the narrow boats ran on horse power, the field provided rough grazing for refuelling the beasts overnight.
Some signs of autumn colour change in the leaves of the trees surrounding the exuberant Victorian architecture of the water pumping station beside Bratch locks.
Flowers and ripening seeds pictured on the same small umbellifer a few days ago.
With a thread of spider’s web catching the sunlight.
My first try at an animated video. The robin (and the original of the picture) shown here was featured in a post
last February.