May19th – I set off in reasonable weather. The coos of Jockey Meadows knew best, and were lying down.
Always pay attention to the coos. They know what they’re doing.
(Thanks to Susan Marie Ward who got that ‘coos’ is the correct regional pronunciation for these dribbly, nosey, sagacious and truly meteorologically insightful bovines).
May 11th – This evening when I passed Jockey Meadows, the cattle were obligingly close to the field gate – and what handsome fellows they are. I think there are ten in total, and it looks like they’e been having a paddle in the mud. The work they do is essential – cropping fast growing species, churning the ground up and spreading the poo love.
They are collected in the evening, and I wondered if they were waiting for their lift, which raises again my occasionally mused question that they must regard this as work, and knock off at a set time.
Coos are more intelligent than we give them credit for, I feel.
Meanwhile, at the far side of the meadow, a small group of deer were loafing in the reeds. This place really is alive right now.
May 7th – I notice that on Jockey Meadows, the pasture field that’s genuinely a water meadow is now staffed by a heard of beef cattle again. About 10 or 12 large animals are browsing the scrub in an effort to maintain it – the cows eat the fast growing plants, and give the slow-growers chance. They also spread the fertile love in the form of cowpats.
Every time I passed them this week, the coos have been far over the other side. Only did I notice when I’d zoomed in that a passing heron was doing his bit too.
March 9th – Early, Jockey Meadows. Still grey and dormant, with no hints of spring yet. The last place to wake up in these parts, it has its own desolate beauty in winter.
The cows that were here last summer are long gone, but their work – the removal of some of the most invasive species, and trimming back the long grass – remains.
It’ll be interesting to see the difference they’ve made when the meadow comes to life in a few weeks.
November 2nd – Up to Chasewater for the first time in a while. The day was more settled, but still with the grey skies, and at times, spotting with rain. Nice to see the cows back on the north heath, and the boaters and water-skiers were enjoying a day on the water.
At the railway, utterly inexplicably, a whole bunch of classic vehicles with no clue as to the reason for their presence; a real mystery.
The water level is still seemingly somewhat low; but the valves are now closed and it’s just a wait now for the rains. I’m not really relishing that thought over much.
October 26th – I went out in the morning in a heavy wind to run some errands. British Summer Time had ended the night before, and I guess I was avoiding the evening darkness, too.
I passed Jockey Meadows on the Walsall Wood/Shelfield border and noticed the water meadow was still very green. The cows here during the summer have done a great job, and the pasture looks in good condition.
It won’t be long now before even this spot becomes brown with autumn.
June 12th – This one is for Fresh Rosemary, as I know she likes the coos.
These particular coos – all lads – are currently being grazed on Jockey Meadows, just off Green Lane, between Walsall Wood and Shelfield. They have been brought here to churn up the meadow, eat the more aggressive species of plants, and to fertilise the land… naturally. One could say that it’s absolute bullshit.
They’re certainly working well, and hopefully this will allow the less strong species of meadow fauna to thrive. As to the coos, they go home somewhere every night. When I pass in a morning, they’re all out grazing around the field; when I come back late afternoon, they always seem to be waiting by the gate for their lift home. Coos certainly seem to know what time it is.
They’re certainly going somewhere, as I passed by again at 10pm and they’d definitely gone. This begs the question of how my bovine brothers see this: is it like a job to them? ‘Hey Steve, that’s enough grazing. Time to knock off. Where the hell’s the herdsman?’
I’ve asked them. They’re not telling. Bloody inscrutable creatures, coos.
May 28th – A foul commute to and from work, characterised by constant drizzle, wet greasy roads and drivers not concentrating. Nearly wiped out on the way to work, a lady pulled out on me from a factory forecourt so closely her car snapped the reflector off my rear mudguard. Had I been slightly slower, she’d have clipped my wheel and I’d have been off. She didn’t even stop.
Returning on a no less intemperate journey home, I was cheered to see the cows still on Jockey Meadows; a fair-sized herd, there seem to be about 12 or 15, and they were looking wet and fatalistic as only cows can.
I’m convinced they’re here to maintain the meadow and churn it up, whilst spreading the fertile love in the form of cowpats. They certainly seem to be having a good go.
They were fascinated by me and my bike. I’m sure they’d all have come to the gate had I waited long enough.
September 17th – A spin around Chasewater in the rain. The park was pretty deserted just after lunch. I span round, the drizzle persistent but relatively warm. The cows on the north heath were trying to find shelter in the woods, and looked thoroughly cheesed off. Meanwhile, further down the heath to the north shore, workers were cutting the scrub and burning the waste, resulting in the lake being covered in a low layer of sweet-smelling smoke.
As I returned down the causeway, I noticed the crews of kids in rowing boats, out from the Outdoor Education Centre.
Life doesn’t stop at Chasewater when the summer goes; it just gets a bit more challenging.
August 18th – Chasewater is great at the moment. I passed through in the early afternoon, on a warm but windy Sunday; the lake was busy, and people were out, taking the air, cycling, walking dogs, playing football or frisby with their kids. So nice to see it busy and beautiful again.
I see the herd of cattle has expanded – as well as the lads munching away on the north heath, we now have a bovine maintenance crew on the spillway heath, between the Nine-Foot, Anglesey Basin and the Toll Road boundary. Like cows do, they were exploring the field boundaries and watching passers by nosily. They’re a great asset to Chasewater and it’s good to see them.
Meanwhile, on the embankment track between Jeffrey’s Swag and Slurry Pool, someone has been measuring. That’s a surveyor’s datum block (the stud is the datum) and presumably that’s some kind of measurement bore. Wonder what they’re looking at?
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