October 5th – And then, in the scrub at the top of Chasewater dam, between Pool Road, the bypass and rugby club, this fine solo lady was browsing the scrub and posing for photos.
With the rut starting now and the old herds regrouping, odd to see a lady on her own, but she was in good condition and her coat was sleek and beautiful.
Always a fine sight and one I’ll never quite get used to.
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September 28th – Out in the afternoon for an errand in Lichfield, and I noticed that the deer had trampled a gap in the hedge near Home Farm from the canal towpath at Catshill, again returning a good view of my favourite tree – the magnificent horse chestnut near the farmhouse.
Surprisingly, it has yet to become very autumnal.
However, a lone oddity in the foreground caught my attention: A solitary, large sunflower going at the field margin.
A truly wild specimen, it can only have got there via the mechanism of bird digestion.
What a fine serendipitous thing!
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August 18th – A ride up over the Chase to Milford for a much-needed burger meant a return via the A513 through Satnall Hills between Shugborough and Severn Springs. This fast stretch of road is sadly notable for its high number of deer-vehicle collisions.
I notice an electronic deer deterrent is being tried here. I’ll be honest: I’m sceptical of these things. When I rode past at dusk, the units were just beginning to activate as they only operate from dusk until dawn.
It seems that when they detect vehicles, they emit a weird bird-chirp style noise and flash blue lights. They charge via a small solar cell, and are spaced every 15 metres or so.
The manufacturers IPTE say on their website:
‘The flashing lights of the warning sequence are intended to capture the attention of the animals while the acoustic sound makes the animals feel uncomfortable and stop and leave the roadside area.’
Ignoring the painful tautology of ‘Acoustic sound’ it’s an interesting idea that was tried on the Chasetown bypass but the units were vandalised. I did see a stag in the scrub at the roadside here, but on my appearance he ran back up the hillside.
I guess unless we give it a try we’ll never know if it works. It’ll be interesting to see the results.
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August 18th – After a dry few weeks it’s great to see the deer at Anglesey Basin, near Chasewater.
I’m sure I’ve seen this pair of ladies – either close pals or mum and daughter – many times before. The younger one is inquisitive and not easily spooked, whereas the older one seems a bit eccentric, is quite vocal and can be nervous.
I watched them for a while loafing in the meadow, amused at their green chins from the lush meadow they’d been browsing.
Such lovely faces and they look in very good condition considering how scruffy they looked during the moult a couple of months ago. They will be regrouping back into herd groups in coming weeks in preparation for the rut.
Welcome back, ladies.
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July 21st – It hadn’t promised to be a ride day at all, so I didn’t have high hopes for the ride at all. It was fantastic, if weary, as it happened, and it was all about the animals I met on the way.
From the two wee dogs in chokey and the ferrets at the Barton gate Steam Fair to the herd of curious cows at Dunstall, animals stole the show all through the ride.
Most interesting was the long range shot of the red deer at Dunstall Park – a farmed herd – the majestic stag of which turned out to be providing perch for two magpies, presumably assisting his grooming.
I’ve seen small birds do that with pigs before, but never magpies on deer…
A great ride. And oh, those coos!
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May 6th – It wasn’t a bad day, really, and thanks to some emergency help from a doctor, I had some good medication and felt much, much better.
So I did what I always do when improving: Get on my bike.
This season I want to expand my horizons a bit. I want to explore places I’ve not been in years. So I thought I’d make a start by heading west rather than north or east.
West is difficult from Brownhills. Beyond Great Wyrley is miles of lovely, rolling countryside, but sadly, Great Wyrley and Cannock are in the way. When the motorway and bypasses came through, it left few peaceful, viable paths to the countryside of the west, meaning getting to it is a chore.
But as I reminded myself today with a 52 mile bimble, it’s actually gorgeous when you make the effort. So I will. Far more often.
I went via Norton, Washbrook, then into Wyrley, Landywood and Shareshill. Up through Hilton Park, Saredon to Four Ashes, then on to the canal north to Penkridge, Acton Trussell and Milford, and from there down the main roads to Rugeley and back over Red Hill and Chorley.
A really fine ride, sadly in mostly grey, cold weather but the scenery – and lack of discomfort – more than made up for it.
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April 28th – A day marred by a bad stomach so I busied myself with other things and headed out late in the afternoon for a circuit of Chasewater, Burntwood, Wall and Stonnall.
At Chasewater, it seems the small group of deer who have been hanging around the spillway heath at Anglesey Basin are still there.
The fece doesn’t trouble them, they just hop over as required.
Odd too see people walking past without stopping – deer used to be a spectacle here but it seems now they’re as familiar as the cattle on the north shore.
I still can’t quite believe they’re here.
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April 7th – The group of deer that have been loafing around the spillway and dam for the last couple of weeks were hanging around the south shore when I returned from a ride out at dusk.
The day had promised decent weather – it was much warmer than it has been which was a good start – but it was hazy and grey and not inspiring at all, which was sad.
As I rolled up to take their picture, three ladies ambled out of the scrub to my left, which was a surprise: A sign to be a bit more careful with deer numbers increasing, I think.
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March 23rd – Meanwhile, over with the red deer at Chasewater, the seasonal moult has started, and the ladies who looked so healthy and fine a week ago now look like threadbare old rugs. They are also covered in dried mud, which they roll in to try and liberate the irritating cold weather coat.
It’s natural of course, to lose the winter coat, and the scruffiness will soon pass; but my favourite ladies always look so grim at this time of year.
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March 17th – Finally a day with a more manageable wind, although it was still hard work, and an afternoon mostly without rain, although it caught me on my evening return. But a good ride, none the less.
Rapidly going stir crazy, I was pleased to note a more temperate day – although it was cold the sun shone frequently and the rain was mostly short sharp showers.
I headed up to Cannock Chase for a decent 45 miler, Pye Green and Brocton Field, the dropped into Sherbrooke Valley and on to Milford. From there, up to Tixall, a place I’ve not been in far too long a time. The architecture and atmosphere of this gorgeous place cannot be overstated, yet it’s mostly missed as it exists in the shadow of tourist magnet Shugborough, just down the road.
I continued to Hixon and skirted Blithfield Reservoir via Newton and Admaston, and passed back through Rugeley and Longone as darkness and rain fell.
Spring is really coming on a pace now, with plump spring lambs in the fields and green evident on the hedges, woods and fields; and on Brownhills Common the deer were clearly currently entering the moult and will soon look like threadbare old rugs that nobody cares for, despite being in excellent condition otherwise.
I’d love to know what a solar loo is though…
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