Tag: Catshill

October 16th – I’ve come to the conclusion there’s another swan family moved down here, probably from Aldridge. Nipping back into Walsall Wood on an errand, I spotted five cygnets and mum; they don’t seem as advanced in development as the Catshill brood, which are really quite white now, and these seem cheekier, and more unruly. 

Looking for food along the embankment at the back of Barrow Close, they were watched by a distinctly unamused bystander, a large, grumpy-looking marmalade cat.

There’s a story there, I’m sure.

October 13th – It rained heavily all the way home, and with a driving headwind it really wasn’t a pleasant journey at all. I hopped on the canal in Walsall Wood to escape the mad traffic, and stopped at Catshill Junction to have a breather as I often do. It was quiet, except for the music of rain falling on water. There was not a soul around, and even the houses in Chandlers Keep looked deserted. 

I was wet, cold and tired, but you couldn’t hate it like this. This was a moment of unexpected peace in a very grim day.

I got back on my bike, and rode home.

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 1st – Autumn is certainly coming to Catshill Junction and Clayhanger Coomon, as the deciduous scrub here turns golden. On this drizzly October evening, despite the murk, it looked beautiful. 

I note the building taking place on the former Bayley House site is coming on well, but the sculpture on the far side of the water is being rapidly claimed by the scrub.

I do hope it doesn’t get forgotten there.

August 2nd – I suspect you readers might be getting fed up with my obsession with swans, but with several local broods this year it’s made me more aware of these fascinating birds and their habits.

This afternoon, the Catshill brood – still at an impressive seven plus mum and dad – were on the canal between Catshill Junction and the Pier Street bridge, just to the rear of Lindon Drive.

They were doing something I never knew that swans would do – they were eating blackberries from brambles growing at the canal side. The youngsters were positively devouring the fruit.

I never knew they ate such things. 

When they realised I was watching, they regrouped, and headed off.

July 20th – A day coloured mainly by the sad news of the loss of a good man, but as I rode the canal mid-afternoon, taking it gentle, I reflected on life. I noted a family of 4 cygnets and mum – dad seems to be gone – doing well up in Walsall Wood. I think they’re from up the canal in Pelsall. They are healthy birds, clearly getting by just fine.

Further down the water at Catshill Junction, the swans from Catshill still numbered seven youngsters and two parents. Nature is cruel, but the cycle of life continues.

I’ve grown very attached to these birds, have many of the local residents. It’s odd that we take such beautiful but grumpy and obstreperous characters to our hearts, but we do.

We feel great sadness at the toll of nature, and predators. But that’s the roll of nature’s dice, and it was ever thus.

And life continues, as it always has.

June 29th – Also showing well was the landscape. From the view down to Sandhills and Springhill over Home Farm, to the threatening skies over Hammerwich, the countryside looked gorgeous. Everywhere I surveyed was turning colour with ripening crops.

This people, is Brownhills. It has some remarkably beautiful views.

June 29th – I wasn’t feeling so hot, and after the canalside festival, headed for a spin up to Chasewater, just to get some air. I must say, the hay fever is playing havoc with me this year.

The canal is teaming with life at the moment, from the growing families of waterfowl – the swan family still stand at 7 and they’re getting huge now – to dragon and damselflies, water lilies and some rather large fish. It’s a fascinating place at the moment, and well worth a walk if you fancy it.

It didn’t help my hay fever in the slightest, but it did take my mind off the sneezing…

June 26th – Without my trusty camera, the phone was employed again on the way home – but I hate it, and inadvertently set it to take square images, which are no use to man nor beast.

I took some photos of a lovely black and white puss that walked out of the hedge in Green Lane, and mewed a greeting at me, but the images were terrible. Just as well that I noticed this impressive pile drilling machine on the building site near Catshill Juntion. It will be drilling foundation piles for the new maisonettes here.

That’s a large drill bit and an impressively complex piece of equipment. Bet it would be fun to play with…

June 7th – Bad news, I’m afraid, but not totally unexpected. 

I dived out in the rain, got something to eat, and as I left, the sun came out. As the landscape gently steamed, I headed to Chasewater along the canal. I saw the swan family, who had numbered 8 cygnets with mum and dad, were now down to 7. The lost one could have been predated by a fox, stoat or mink, or could have died of illness or other cause. 

One of the reasons swans have large broods is due to the loss that’s somewhat inevitable. It’s very sad, but an unfortunate fact of nature. 

The remaining family seemed happy and well enough.

Don’t be too alarmed, but it is sobering and a reminder that nature is red in tooth and claw.