May 6th – Spinning home from work down the Goscote Valley cycleway, I noticed new additions to the palette of flowers this year – primroses and forget-me-nots. Not remarkable flowers in themselves, but new arrivals in this location, which can only be a good thing.
Great to see nature thriving along the old rail line like this.
May 5th – This one has me a bit puzzled, and makes me realise how little I know about swan behaviour. This lone swan is on the decaying nest left in the disused basin by Cashmores works just off the Walsall Canal at Pleck. This nest successfully incubated and hatched at least four cygnets last season to a pair who I think are now nesting up at Bentley Bridge. The nest here is very secure from most predators – well out on the water, and humans can’t get there as it’s almost totally fenced off.
The one thing it’s not secure from is herons, and I’m fairly sure a heron took a couple of newly hatched cygnets here last year, which may explain the pair not using this site again.
Occasionally, a single swan sits this rotting nest. I have no idea why. She – I’m assuming it’s a she – was there this evening, and seemed quite content, but there was no sign of a partner at all, and no sign of nest maintenance.
I do wonder what’s going on here.
May 5th – This is always a nice first to chalk up for the year – the first duck and coot chicks have hatched. On the Walsall Canal at Pleck, proud mum and dad with large clutch of nine ducklings, and these three coots were spotted in Goscote, the rest of the family in overhanging bushes. I still think coot chicks have cute in shedloads.
Still no swan or Canada geese hatchlings yet.
May 4th – Summer seems finally to be on it’s way in. A warm, sunny day during which I had to visit telford, where the tulips in the station flowerbed are divine. On the way back from Lichfield, the daffodils were still strong in the hedgerows, and the oilseed rape was burning yellow in the fields.
Sunshine, it’s so good to have you back… please stay awhile.
May 3rd – Some advertising wonk was paid to come up with this for the Halifax building society (or are they a bank these days?) – and it irritates me as these posters are all over the place – in this case on the Walsall Road in Darlaston.
Top Cat appears to be advertising mortgages. That’s right, Top Cat. That’s a cat, who lived in a dustbin and survived from the proceeds of theft and confidence trickery and really wouldn’t ever be considered for a mortgage, although he probably would be suited to a career in the City.
Although I suspect the bankers learned the coin-on-elastic trick from him…
May 3rd – The swans who’ve nested on the Walsall Canal at Bentley Bridge seem very house proud. The sitting partner today was busily removing debris and weaving new reeds into their huge nest, while their mate was finding suitable pieces from further afield to improve the construction.
I love how busy they are, and how they work in careful partnership. Magical.
May 2nd – After what seems like weeks of grey, cold weather it was wonderful to be out in the sun. I hit the quarry road behind the hall and rode down to Bodymoor Heath where hopped on the canal, and rode through Tamworth to Hopwas, returning through Hints, Weeford and Shenstone.
The greening trees this year are almost as colourful as autumn, and I’ve never before noticed the view of Hopwas Church from the Farm Bridge.
let’s hope the fine weather sticks around a bit.
May 2nd – What a difference an hour made.
It had been a miserable day – maybe a decent start, but over lunchtime and early afternoon, it rained, and the wind was gusty. Not great bank holiday weather.
I’d resolved, with some faith in a weather forecast that predicted a better end to the day, to ride out to Middleton Hall for cake. I set out in the rain, and sped through damp, dripping countryside. And then, the sun came out. It was warm, too.
I enjoyed tea and great cake, and a shifty around this architectural and historical gem. I have no idea what the wood carvings are about, but they were cute.
I think a proper spring arrived this afternoon.
May 1st – Born to be wild, still running free, the Newtown One.
The Muscovy Pimpernel still evades capture.
May 1st – A blustery and occasionally wet ride over to Walton on Trent and back through Lullington and Clifton Campville – but true to my promise, I found the colours of spring.
Songbirds were in the hedgerows – never seen so many goldfinches – and blossom, wildflowers and emerging leaves made everything bright.
I couldn’t get the sunshine, but I got the season. A great ride.
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