March 22nd – Oe gets used to seeing rats about when you’re an urban cyclist, and there tend to be a fair few prime specimens on the urban canals. What I didn’t realise until I started cycling regularly along inner city waterways is what accomplished swimmers brown rats are.

There is a colony on the far side of this bridge in Pleck, Walsall; I often see them running along the opposite bank in and out of the drain holes and scrub. But several times, I’ve scared them from the towpath, and they’ve hopped into the canal freely and swam home to the other side. Sadly, I’ve never been fast enough with the camera to record one actually swimming.

Today, I saw this large specimen by the bridge (Bottom left, top picture. Look carefully) – I startled it and it ran for the water and swam to safety. But note the line of wet paw prints, the line caused by a dragging, wet tail and the water from a shake dry. 

It came from the other bank to feed.

Rats are remarkable.