Wolves Wild

Just a small sampling of the variation in form of the seed-heads of different grasses.

Young newt, still looking more fish than amphibian. Pictured just over a month ago.

The conditions meant the funnel in this web showed clearly.

The pair of swans nesting on Swan Pool in Sandwell Valley have half a dozen cygnets this year, now well grown.

From the Conservatory at West Park.

The ants from this nest were rushing around in a frenzy because the nest had been disturbed, exposing the ants eggs – towards the right of the picture.

Canada geese grazing by the side-arm canal in the Bumble Hole LNR.

This series of pictures was taken by the canal basin in the Bumble Hole LNR.

First one magpie, then its mate, took up position by the entrance to the basin.

The knew I was there, but were unconcerned because they were on the other side of the canal.

They came a little closer as they moved down to water level, so that first one and then the other could drink some water.

Bumble Hole and Warren Hill are two adjoining Dudley Council local nature reserves. Like several of the Dudley LNRs they are on land formerly used for mining, quarrying and industry: in this case around the Dudley canal as it approaches the western entrance to the Netherton tunnel.

As well as the considerable wildlife interest, the reserve is worth visiting to see the remaining industrial remains.  Featuring in the first two pictures is Cobb’s engine house, a Victorian building for the engine which powered the pumps which stopped the mines here from flooding, raising the water to feed the canals.

Here the engine house is seen in its setting above the canal and the entrance to the tunnel.

This is the view just inside the entrance to the tunnel. The dot of white is not the light at the other end of the tunnel. It is the spotlight of a distant oncoming boat.

Very inconspicuous apart from the strong smell they give out when there are lots of lime trees around. These were pictured towards the end of June.