May 2006 Photo Competition

Lords and Ladies, Cuckoo Pint, Parson-in-the-Pulpit etc, but perhaps "Willy Lily" is the most apt! Pollinated by flies crawling over the willy and going down into the centre of the spathe where they get trapped. They rub pollen off onto the tiny flowers down there. Next morning, the spathe begins to wilt and releases them. They fly off to pollinate another one. Naughty but nice.

 

Dont know what they are, but they were wild and wonderful

 

coots!!

 

as in moorhens as in "bald as a coots head"???

 

Don't worry Pete.
They're just water birds!

Though if you really want to do the full ornithology thing; to me they look like moorhens rather than coots due to their orange beaks. A look at 'mum' would confirm as coots have pale beaks and moorhens orange/red beaks.

 

My final offering - I know I used this for my avatar but its one of my favourite photos

 

Entry Number two - wild and wonderful

 

A 'Wild' sky before the storm! - but wonderful?

 

About pete's birds- coot chicks have quite distinctive red colour in beak and head- very strange as it makes them noticeable. It fades as they get bigger [obviously!] Mum's probably off getting a beakful of food for them to squabble over.

 

i took this last night at a friends farm.why she chose this spot to lay her eggs we dont know.its right near the house in an old shed where theres lots of coming and going,dogs barking etc.she could have had her pick of half a dozen places away from everything.

 

and this is her mate investigating and telling me if i dont bugger off and leave her alone ill be sorry.i didnt stand around long enough to ruffle his feathers.

 

Hey, I think we're being watched.

 

Not exactly wild but still wonderful

Charlborough park, rhodo walk south Dorset