Tag: bird

August 1st – It’s a while since I’ve been able to photograph a heron locally. This chap, on the canal at Aldridge behind RMD showed beautifully for me as I took a quick afternoon trip out to get some shopping in. I got within 20 metres as the bird strolled along the bank, watching the water for fish. He’s clearly a youngster and didn’t have much fear; he only flew away when someone came in the other direction.

I love herons. So nice to see them continuing to thrive on the local waterways.

June 28th – Feeling better, and a trundle to Brownhills Canalside Festival, where there was a Bird of Prey display by Armitage Bird of Prey Centre. It’s a rare and wonderful chance to get close up photographs of some stunning birds. The range of facial expression Jono the Eagle Owl can make, whilst not really having a mouth is astounding.

I love these birds.

May 10th – On the canal in Walsall Wood, the obligatory heron was sourcing supper. Intently focussed on the water, it took no notice of me whatsoever. Such was the determination, I wondered if it had a young mouth or two to feed.

Despite waiting an age, the bird never struck, just kept on mesmerising it’s prey.

I hope it bagged some supper in the end.

April 19th – Sometimes it’s necessary to point out the less pleasant side of nature. Sorry.

I occasionally get messages and mail from people worried, because they’ve seen pairs of almost intact bird wings at Chasewater or near other places where water bird congregate. The finders of these grisly leftovers sometimes think these are signs of human cruelty.

Relax, they aren’t – but they are a sign that nature is red in tooth an claw. Foxes and avian predators will take birds who roost close to the edge of the lake, or in the case of raptors, take birds on the surface – gulls, ducks, small geese, even swans on occasion in the case of Reynard if he’s hungry and brave enough. 

There isn’t much meat in the wings, which are mostly bone, skin, feather and sinew, so they are discarded as being not worth the effort. Experienced predators cut them off cleanly, and one often finds them discarded. This pair, I think maybe from a gull, were near the dam on Pool Road. I’ve seen 7 pairs so far this year.

Nature is horrid sometimes.

June 22nd – I spotted this young marmalade cat in Coulter Lane, Burntwood, at sundown. It had caught a bird, and was acting shifty. I took the photos hurriedly, as puss wasn’t happy with me getting near his trophy, which appears to be a housemartin.

I love cats, but all I could think when I saw this was ‘Bastard!’

As he disappeared under the gate to what I assume to be his house, I heard his owners shouting at him. It must be awful bringing your boss a quality gift and then being admonished for it…

May 27th – Just on the canal in Aldridge, this skittish fellow. I gently placed the bike down to take a better picture. By the time I raised the camera again, he’d flown off.

This journal can never have too many herons. I adore these gangling, shabby and patient fishers. To me, they’re a symbol of the cleanliness of todays canals, and how far they’ve come. When I was a kid, you’d never, ever see this.

It’s a thing to treasure.

March 20th – I cycled home in persistent rain, but with the wind behind me. As is usual in these conditions, I slid onto the canal towpath as soon as I could to avoid the madness of the traffic. Passing near Clayhanger Bridge, I was assailed by a pair of regular bandits. 

This pair of Canada Geese – apparently inseparable – have been hanging around for about three weeks now. As time passes (and presumably, the chap’s fancy turns in springtime) the male is getting more and more bombastic. He jumps up off the water when he spots me, up onto the towpath, all open bill and hissing. I’ve started giving him titbits to placate him. He now expects the ‘toll’ before he lets me pass.

I am, effectively, being mugged by a goose. Has life really come to this?

June 16th – Not sure what the deal is here, to be honest. At Peggs Row, just on the corner of Coulter Lane and Farewell Lane in Burntwood, there’s a lovely cottage with a quite ornate chimney. I’ve noticed recently – after being taken in by it – that there’s a decoy bird of prey on the chimney pot, which looks like a peregrine. I’m not sure if it’s ornamental, or serves a purpose; I was fooled by the silhouette enough a couple of weeks ago to actually go for my camera, before realising the model raptor wasn’t real. 

Nice to see it’s fixed down well. Can anyone shed any light on this?

April 28th – I spotted this bird of prey hovering, almost totally still, over the heath by Anglesey Basin at Chasewater. He’s an interesting character. I know what species I think he is, but I’m unhappy about the details. Can any birders help? Many folk don’t realise that Brownhills is host to loads of species of birds of prey – from Owls to Buzzards to very occasionally, Kites.

This fellow was certainly an impressive sight. Sorry about the poor photos, it was nearly 7pm and the light was lousy.