Tag: brood

#365daysofbiking Duckling and diving

August 10th – I’d not been well overnight, and ventured out in the afternoon for a gentle bimble. On the canalside near the Pier Street Bridge, I came across mama mallard and her second brood, still doing well, snuggled together in the grass.

Their patient tolerance and perceptible pride made a welcome change from the constant haranguing of the cCanada Geese and swans when trying to get photos.

A lovely little family that cheered me no end.

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June 19th – Walsall Wood’s lone cygnet appears to be in rude health, thankfully. Now christened Woody, they grey ball of fluff, hatched to attentive parents who rarely achieve a clutch of more than 2 or 3 is very active and busy.

It’s good to see this pair who nest late and long so proud and protective of their offspring – with one of the parents making concerted efforts to peck my feet and pull my laces!

June 8th – On the local canals, it’s still multiplication time, and I was pleased to note in passing that the swans nesting in the Walsall Wood canalside garden had hatched a single cygnet. This pair have never had big broods, and last year hatched a pair.

Good to see the little grey ball of fluff and nice to see how attentive the parents are. I look forward to watching this wee one grow.

Meanwhile the Canada geese continue to promenade in their lines, share chick-care duties with other mums and hiss aggressively at observers.

This is always such a lovely, busy time on the canals.

May 24th – It’s not often you see a proud swan momma doing the Hokey Cokey to entertain her cygnets, but it’s a longstanding tradition, in my head.

This wonderful sight of the mother watching over young, sleepy hatchlings was at Stubbers Green, mid-morning, and an absolute joy to the heart.

This pic was taken from the road, and the nest’s proximity to the traffic is my only worry.

May 15th – Sorry, waterfowl again, but these little guys are fascinating me. 

The Watermead swans seem to spend a lot of time up at Catshill Junction – I’m not sure why, The cygnets are gaining bulk fast which should protect them from rats, mustelids and herons, if not larger raptors and foxes. Mum and dad are very attentive, and at the same time, relaxed. This evening, they brought their brood over to me to beg for food, which they weren’t doing a few days ago.

The Catshill Canada geese still seem to have the additional chicks stopping over, but appear to have lost 2. This is obviously very sad but normal, otherwise such large broods year on year would mean we’d be knee deep in Canada geese by now, and clearly we’re only ankle deep, so there.

May 13th – I’ve heard it said that geese will ‘babysit’ another mother’s brood while she’s busy. What else can explain the Catshill Canada geese suddenly acquiring three brighter yellow, younger chicks? That takes the clutch to 14, a startlingly high number which mum and dad seem to have trouble corralling into order!

May 21st – On my way back via Chasewater, I spotted the huge Canada goose family near Catshill Junction; remarkably, 12 of the 13 chicks survive, with mum and dad being a good bit more protective and aggressive than formerly – one suspects the loss and protectiveness are related.

The young are growing well though. Lovely to see.

October 11th – I was intrigued to note at Chasewater what seems to be the Catshill brood of swans. Numbering 6 cygnets plus mum and dad, they are well into developing adult plumage now, and were on the main lake towards the north end of the dam. I’m not too alarmed that one appears to be missing, as I saw a single, lone cygnet on Friday at Clayhanger Bridge, so I think the family ties must be loosening now.

Later on, I noticed them proceeding across the lake in a stately line, the speedboats avoiding them.

I’m pleased to see them still prospering; it’s been a real joy to follow their progress this year.

October 4th – In Goscote, what I know as the Pelsall swan family. Dad and a couple of cygnets lost to, in all probability, a fox, the tree remaining young and mum seem to be doing well, and it was good to see them.

Noticeably more friendly that the Catshill brood, they came to see if I had food, before scudding away when they realised none was coming. 

I haven’t seen the Catshill swans for ages, but the Swan Lady pointed out there were cygnets on Chasewater there now, so they’ve probably joined the wider flock there.

Following these lovely birds this year has been a real joy.