Tag: ducklings

May 28th – At Clayhanger, the Mallard family that numbered four on Sunday is down to three; probably picked off by a heron or raptor (or perhaps even a fox), it’s sad to see but natural, I guess. Mum may go on to have another clutch this year, and this is the way of things I guess. But I do hope the missing one didn’t suffer too much.

Meanwhile, just near Clayhanger Bridge, a single Canada goose mum and one gosling. I think there must be a story there too; she looked like she was protecting her fluffy charge with grim determination.

Nature can be so brutal sometimes.

May 24th – The Watermead swan family in Brownhills are doing just fine, after the loss of a single cygnet soon after hatching. The remaining six are looking healthy and growing well when I saw them in the evening. Mum and dad are clearly protective, but aren’t shy to show off their charges, either!

Meanwhile, on the canal towards Aldridge, a small but perfectly formed mallard mum with four cute little ducklings.

A joy to see all these young birds at the moment.

July 26th – I’ve recently discovered Darwin Park – the long avenue through the new housing estate in south Lichfield. It’s very impressive, if a little artificial, but I do think it’s nice, and also a very decent traffic-free route out of the city to Waitrose. 

There’s a pond there, and on this hot afternoon, Mrs. Mallard, with what I assume must be a second clutch, was promenading in the sunshine. More indolent, but no less cute, were a pair of swan parents with six offspring.

Mr. Swan was a little truculent, but his offspring were unperturbed by my presence. I’m absolutely captivated by cygnets this year. The positions they get their resting legs into are fascinating.

This is a lovely place and a new asset for Ye Olde City.

April 26th – I spotted her on the opposite bank of the canal from Clayhanger Common. Sat on the canalside verge at the bottom of Silver Street, Brownhills, a proud mallard mum with a brood of very young ducklings, mostly well tucked in underneath and shielded by her wings. 

I’ve never seen a mallard do this before. The motherly pride in her offspring is quite clear – I found it delightful.

April 24th – Commuting in spring is a joy. Sod the traffic, taking 10 minutes extra and hopping on the canal, or taking a backway rather than the main road provides all manner of rewards. From the beautiful deep pink blossom in Shelfield, to my first set of mallard ducklings at Bentley Bridge, to the guerrilla seeded cowslips on the bank of Clayhanger Bridge the ride is full of contrasts: colour, life and sound.

Gorgeous.

April 28th – The weather seems to be in regression again. Horrid winds and overcast skies accompanied me as I cycled out via Chasewater to Cannock Chase. My ribs were still painful, but there’s no sense in avoiding it; have to keep moving to get better. Despite the weather, nature is getting on with things. I noticed the inseparable pair of Grebes near the south shore of Chasewater, and a first for the year, a huge group of very, very young ducklings on the canal at Rugeley (for some reason, all my pictures of them were awful, but there were at least 14 in the group).

Let’s hope the sun shines for them soon.

May 13th – After visiting the MG car show at Chasewater, I headed up the old Ironstone Road over Cuckoo Bank and over to the chase. On the way, I checked out the Hednesford Hills, which I hadn’t been up for a very long time. It was as lovely and deserted as I remembered it. Up on Cannock Chase, I did Birches Valley, but the presence of hoards of mountain bikers was more of a hinderance than company, although the beautiful scenery was as lovely as ever. Returning on the canal through Rugeley, I spotted my first mallard ducklings of the year. Bobbing adrift in the wake of a narrowboat, the flapping balls of fluff found their mum and regrouped.

It was a nice afternoon’s ride, but the wind became increasingly difficult and made for a challenging, draining ride home.