Tag: canal

August 1st – I’ve been enjoying watching the progress of the berries and fruits this year, perhaps more than usual. Mainly I think because with the hot, dry weather I expected the harvest to be very poor, yet it’s far from meagre. Most things seem abundant, and it looks like being a good winter for birds with a bumper crop of haws reddening gradually in the hawthorn thickets and hedges.

These tough, hard berries are a good winter food for many birds, loaded with energy but bitter so they aren’t depleted quickly.

Grandad used to say and abundance of berries meant nature was preparing for a harsh winter.

It’ll be interesting to see if he was right.

July 31st – Passing over Catshill Junction on my way home, I stopped to note that it was as beautiful as ever it was, but in this late, hot summer the colours have gone from the bright, verdant green of spring to a baked gold colour, browns and dusty, jaded green. These are more than the colours of a mature summer; they are the colours of an unusually hot, dry season.

I’ve never in adulthood seen a summer like this, and I’ll be surprised should I do so again. It has been absolutely marvellous.

July 31st – One thing I am noticing this year is the huge fruit harvest. From blackberries to pears, from rowan berries to crab apples the hedgerows and woods this year are offering a wonderful bounty.

This crab apple tree near Clayhanger is burdened with a massive amount of apples that will sadly rot on the ground – not enough people making hedgerow jelly or wine these days I guess.

July 29th – Following all the brouhaha over the leak at Little Bloxwich and the dispute between the owners of Chasewater, Staffordshire County Council and the people who rely on it for water, the Canal and River Trust, it’s interesting to see the valves are open at Chasewater, resulting in waternflowing into a full canal and draining away via it’s overflows.

I guess they have their reasons, but it seems odd to be wasting the water at the moment, with conditions having been so dry. Perhaps they’re trying to keep up flow into the Ford Brook. The level of Chasewater itself is, of course, steadily falling now.

Nice to watch and listen to the water though – very relaxing on a dull, cool wet afternoon.

July 28th – The hazel hedge by the canal, between Silver Street pedestrian bridge and Coopers Bridge is heavy with nuts this year – clearly to the joy of the local squirrel population. Thankfully when I spotted these healthy specimens, they grey rodents hadn’t completely stripped the trees of their creamy bounty yet.

But they’re having a jolly good go, bless them.

Still can’t get into my head that w have fruiting hazels growing healthily on what used to be an open, festering refuse tip.

July 24th – It seems early for blackberries to be ripening in such quantities right now, but they are. I think in reality we’re maybe only a week or two ahead of schedule, but it just seems wrong.

The foragers and animals won’t mind though – this juicy, black-red sugar laden fruit will sustain many a bird or rodent and make for many a decent pudding the the coming month or so.

Again, it seems like a good crop too.

July 19th – Spotted by the canal near Clayhanger, on a ragwort plant – their favourite food – a yellow and black striped cinnabar moth caterpillar, which seem to be having a good year this year.

These stripes fellows turn into beautiful black and red moths later in the season and are fascinating.

A nice find on a hot day.

July 19th – Following the canal breach a few weeks ago, that saw the local canals lose nearly a foot in level following a breach into a culvert beneath the waterway at Little Bloxwich, the repair has been effected and levels are back up to a healthy level now.

At Clayhanger, the low end of the overflow is now running well and it’s a fine sight and sound once more.

July 18th – Gradually in the last week, the days have been becoming just a little cooler, and just a little bit more overcast.

I’m not sure if this is a trend, or just a dip inn an otherwise wonderful summer. 

Despite the greyness, the canal at Bentley Bridge still looked superb. I love the summer.