September 25th – The day did have some things to commend it though, As dusk fell a mist was rising off the canal at Clayhnager bridge and in it’s dark way, it looked serene and beautiful.
I’m not really ready for winter but there’s nothing I can do about it now, so I guess I must find beauty where I can.
September 25th – Heading home on a grey day, there was little to inspire, but whilst admiring the colours in the scrub near the new pond in Clayhanger, wishing we had sunshine to set them afire, I noticed a cat there I’d not seen before, presumably a ways away from home. A lovely ginger tabby, it gave me one glance, then high tailed it back down the old rail line path.
Even the cats didn’t want to speak to me…
September 21st – As I neared Brownhills, a beautiful violet-red sunset formed over Jockey Meadows and Clayhanger.
The sky and low cloud mad the whole thing etereal and ghostly, and the dying light made all rosy and soft.
I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.
September 20th – A good fungal find near conifers by the canal in Clayhanger – Sticky Bun fungus, sometimes known as Sticky Jack. When damp, this large toadstool looks slimy and unpleasant, but as a boletus it’s edible (but to avoid a bad tummy remove the slime layer before preparation), and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it here before.
Were it not sprouting from formerly contaminated land I’d certainly be picking a few for a fry up…
August 14th – Sorry, after this I promise no morale oak wasp galls!
This is an artichoke oak wasp gall, created the same way as all the others, this wasp selects acorn buds, which are corrupted into these neat little artichoke shaped growths to house it’s larvae.
These examples spotted on Clayhanger Common.
That’s it now, I think we’ve collected the set…
August 14th – Another tree I keep an eye on is the odd pear tree growing near the top of the bank between the canal and new pond at Clayhanger. I have no idea how it came to b there and suspect it sprouted from a discarded fruit core.
This small but dense tree usually fruits copiously, but this year is suffering terribly from blight and bird attack. The fruit on this tree have never looked appetising at all, to be honest.
An interesting thing though, and I’ll keep watching as it grows and develops over the years and hope that one day the harvest prospers.
July 17th – Time for my annual botanically subversive mission: spreading the cowslip love.
After the usual delightful display in the spring, my favourite flowers have finally started to seed. I carefully collect the seed heads in a bag, shaking the seeds into it.
When I have plenty, I carefully spread the seeds on hedgerows, verges and anywhere that would benefit from springtime cowslips.
Guerilla seeding. Do something pretty while you can.
June 22nd – Two poor pictures, but ones I just had to share, as they’re of birds I don’t see very often locally: Jays. There was a pair of these intelligent, resourceful corvids bickering over something and chasing each other from tree to tree. I assume one had interloped on the other’s patch, but whatever was happening, there was a lot of squawking, warning chiming and wing flapping.
These are beautiful, colourful birds and they were battling in the trees near the Pier Street Bridge by Clayhanger Common in Brownhills.
A rare delight and I’m sad I didn’t get better pictures.
June 14th – The desire-path created behind the canal overflow at Clayhanger continues to fascinate me, particularly in the way the arch has formed in the scrub.
I don’t know who’s walking this way regularly enough to keep it so clear – it may even bee the deer who dwell on the common – but whoever it is has created a charming, odd little portal that could be to a fairy tail place, or just to Clayhanger…
Not much difference between the two, really…
June 12th – One of the stars of high summer is the humble blackberry bramble flower. Never less than ragged, these fragile, prolific blooms are very common and seldom studied – but they’re a haven for bees and bugs, and add a lovely texture to wastelands, thickets and hedgerows.
And later, hopefully a huge crop of luscious dark fruit, just right for pies and crumbles, not no mention wine!
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