Goosed!

A few degrees cooler today and a little more cloudy than of late, but still, we had a nice walk around the lakes of Straw's Bridge and across the meadow of Peewit Carr.  Poor Malcolm fell foul of a particularly belligerent Domestic Goose at Straw's Bridge.  It was clear one goose was not happy about us walking past - although the three other geese with which it was sitting on the bank, were not at all bothered.  As we approached it began hissing and posturing.  Then, head down and full of fury, it came toward us honking loudly.  Of course, Malcolm was the one who got the brunt of the attack as it grabbed his trouser leg.  Thankfully, no damage was done, except to Malcolm's pride.
On the wildlife front, there are lots of Seven-spot Ladybirds about at the moment.  This one was in the Pyracantha in our garden.

The Seven-spot (Coccinella septempunctata) is the most common in Britain, although in recent years it's numbers have seen a decline at the 'hands' of the foreign Harlequin Ladybird from Asia.  

Around the footpaths of Shipley Park, small, upright, bright-green sprigs of Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis) are carpeting the woodland floor.  A member of the Spurge family, these common plants are among the first to flower each Spring, although the flowers are rather inconspicuous being the same green colour as the surrounding leaves.