More of Autumn

Our walk this morning was a shorter one, but no less full of colour and spectacle for that.  We set out around the Straw's Bridge lakes as the skies clouded up from their clear, blue start to the day.  Around 'Swan Lake' and under the old railway bridge to the second and third of the lakes, the colours were framed rather well by the bridge.

Leaving those lakes behind, we climbed up the bank of the old railway line to look back on the trees which surround the lakes.  Again, the colours were still quite good.

Looking back to our walk with Jayne on Wednesday, we took in some wonderful Beech trees growing close to the 'Coppice' lake - another of the reservoirs which fed the canal system. These Beeches are always wonderful at this time of year.

And another picture of the Harlequin Ladybirds which were in evidence at Osborne's Pond. This one displays the extraordinary diversity in colour and patterning to be seen in this particular species.  The one I mentioned on Wednesday was more typical with its red-and-black dots, while this one was almost all black with just a few hints of red.  Still beautiful though and shiny as if it had been polished.