Flora & Fauna

A parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) growing on the path around the western edge of the former Forestry Commission plantation, now the Blaen Bran Community Woodland.

I was not the only hunter-gatherer at the blackberry patch! This orb-weaver spider (Araneus diadematus) was parcelling up a kill, caught in the web. When I got too close, he scuttled off and attempted to "make use of available cover" to conceal himself. Also known as garden spider and diadem spider.

A pair of speckled wood butterflies (Pararge aegaria) in Pettingale Wood.

A little egret (Egretta garzetta) and a black headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) at the water's edge. Taken at the extreme range of my zoom lens.

A little egret (Egretta garzetta) tripping about the shallows. This was at the extreme range of my zoom lens.

A meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) in the Conservation Area of the trail. A common and widespread butterfly.

A parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) growing on a bank along the road.

A garden or orb-weaver spider (Araneus diadematus) effecting web repairs after clearing debris blown on to it.

A garden or orb-weaver spider (Araneus diadematus) having effected web repairs after clearing debris blown on to it, settles back and awaits its next "visitor".