Month: August 2019

#365daysofbiking Ready to strike

August 22nd – I got just two photos today, before the camera I’d absent-mindedly not charged for days went flat. Both were of this splendid heron, totally aware of me but studiously ignoring my presence, at least while breakfast was in prospect.

As herons often do, it pondered in the striking pose for some time: Alert, taut, ready. Then, either it’s prey swan away, or it just decided not to bother. The bird visibly relaxed, remembered I was there, cast me a contemptuous glance and flew off.

I know of few birds as oddly human in their habits as Herons are.

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#365daysofbiking An unexpected flash of orange



August 21st – Returning from Birmingham, the train unexpectedly terminated at Tame Bridge due to a line fault or something, maybe the elastic band snapped.

I couldn’t be bothered with the ride home up through Walsall so hopped on the Tame Valley Canal and then home via Rushall Junction, Park Hall and Aldridge.

Passing through a nondescript bit of towpath near the Birmingham Road, a flash of bright, vivid orange caught my eye.

A gorgeous par of feral marigolds, just trying to make me happy.

They succeeded in their aim.

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#365daysofbiking Corruption

August 21st – My goodness, this is strange.

Y’all know I love and am fascinated by insect galls, right? Well the robins pincushion galls on the wild rose I’ve been watching grow for weeks just took an odd turn.

There are several galls on the same rose now, the only plant in the thicket to be affected. Most of the galls are large, colourful and dramatic. But one weedy little on at the end of a twig seems to have got into a bit of a mess.

The photo isn’t great, but one can see that corruption from the implanted wasp egg has not been concentrated in one leaf node; it’s spread to several and there are bright red patches of furry spines all over the adjacent leaves.

Wonder what went wrong there?

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#365daysofbiking A rose by any other name

August 20th -Whilst in Wednesbury, I took a look at Brunswick Park, which is a lovely spot. Whilst there, I spotted these red berries. The shrub was clearly under attack from some pest or other, but the fruit looked gorgeous, and a bit familiar.

Turns out it’s guelder rose, which isn’t really a rose at all, but the white flowers are very familiar to me. The berries are very mildly toxic, but jam can be made from them. They are very bitter.

A beautiful, bright red reminder that autumn is just around the corner.

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#365daysofbiking Nice chopper mister

August 20th -Whilst riding down Old Park Road in Darlaston at lunchtime on my way to Wednesbury, I heard a tremendous noise from the adjacent industrial estate.

Looking up the embankment through the trees, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Quickly zipping onto the estate and up the drive, I managed to take a few pictures of what I assume was the head honcho of the adjacent, very large car sales pitch taking off for… maybe sunnier climes.

Nothing succeeds like excess.

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#365daysofbiking Happy families

August 19th – On the way home from a tiring, enervating day, I met these bandits by Clayhanger Bridge.

The family of five I think are the ones that hatched up by Newtown on the canal to Chasewater, and they’re cheeky, bold and in good health. The youngsters are adult sized now and their pecks – even playful ones – come sharp and hard.

Once they realised I had no treats to give and pecking my shoes made no impact, they happily pottered off back to browsing the weed under the watchful eye of mum.

Further towards Catshill, I saw the family of four who I think hatched in Walsall Wood. That means that with the watermead two, six swans locally have raised 11 offspring this year. Not too bad going, I think.

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#365daysofbiking Taking a fence

August 18th – A ride up over the Chase to Milford for a much-needed burger meant a return via the A513 through Satnall Hills between Shugborough and Severn Springs. This fast stretch of road is sadly notable for its high number of deer-vehicle collisions.

I notice an electronic deer deterrent is being tried here. I’ll be honest: I’m sceptical of these things. When I rode past at dusk, the units were just beginning to activate as they only operate from dusk until dawn.

It seems that when they detect vehicles, they emit a weird bird-chirp style noise and flash blue lights. They charge via a small solar cell, and are spaced every 15 metres or so.

The manufacturers IPTE say on their website:

‘The flashing lights of the warning sequence are intended to capture the attention of the animals while the acoustic sound makes the animals feel uncomfortable and stop and leave the roadside area.’

Ignoring the painful tautology of ‘Acoustic sound’ it’s an interesting idea that was tried on the Chasetown bypass but the units were vandalised. I did see a stag in the scrub at the roadside here, but on my appearance he ran back up the hillside.

I guess unless we give it a try we’ll never know if it works. It’ll be interesting to see the results.

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#365daysofbiking Ladies who loaf


August 18th – After a dry few weeks it’s great to see the deer at Anglesey Basin, near Chasewater.

I’m sure I’ve seen this pair of ladies – either close pals or mum and daughter – many times before. The younger one is inquisitive and not easily spooked, whereas the older one seems a bit eccentric, is quite vocal and can be nervous.

I watched them for a while loafing in the meadow, amused at their green chins from the lush meadow they’d been browsing.

Such lovely faces and they look in very good condition considering how scruffy they looked during the moult a couple of months ago. They will be regrouping back into herd groups in coming weeks in preparation for the rut.

Welcome back, ladies.

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#365daysofbiking Filthy scum

August 17th – This needs no explanation: A bag of dog waste, collected by a dog ‘lover’ to look responsible, tossed into the hedge on a canal bank near Clayhanger when nobody is watching. It will now remain here, out of reach, a monument to your lazy disrespect until the wind dislodges it.

This is a filthy, disrespectful and nasty habit.

Those doing this are scum. No more, no less.

Don’t just pick up after emptying your dog, dispose of it’s waste properly. You bought the animal, you are responsible for the shit it extrudes.

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#365daysofbiking A good crop

August 17th – With my fascination with galls, it’s easy to overlook the fruiting of the oaks as it should be, and I’m happy to report this year that the crop of acorns – even though it’s been hit very heavily by knopper gall wasps – is plump and profuse.

The heathy acorns I’ll later gather to spread in hedgerows and on edge lands as is my tradition look better this year than they have for years. I guess a warm but wet season was good for them, if not so much for me.

I always have a dilemma here though: I can collect acorns solely from trees unaffected by knoppers, and assume they have so resistance, but in spreading solely those am I harming the wasp ecology? I suppose I should just spread any acorns I find, but it’s an interesting conundrum…

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