Thursday, September 24th 2020 – This healthy horse has made me smile a few times of late. Passing it at Newtown, on the A5 Watling Street in North Brownhills, it dwells in a small paddock between the footpath and canal.
I often see it atop the steep bank, craning through the fence to get to the grass on the footpath edge.
The horse is friendly and always enjoys a nuzzle when you stop and say hello.
Gorgeous animal. But I’ll never understand horses.
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January 15th – Passing through Darlaston’s Victoria Park on a journey back from the hospital in Walsall late morning, I met this tidy, glossy coated very black cat, languid and sleepy on a fencepost at the Wednesbury Road end of the path.
He wasn’t particularly pleased that I disturbed his sleep, but welcomed my chatter, chin and ear tickles, for the first few minutes barely opening his eyes.
A cat of clearly senior years, I think he must live on the new esate over the back.
And adorable, aloof yet affectionate fusspot, whose acquaintance I was pleased to make.
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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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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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March 31st – Up to Chasewater on an evening ride. I’d been resting and didn’t feel like going far – particularly as it was bitterly cold, even in the sporadic sun patches.
I noticed this small heard of 5 deer on the opposite side of the canal from Anglesey Wharf, where they’d been recorded swimming a few days previously. These deer love water, or so it would seem.
They were quite tolerant of my company, unusually enough, and even walked towards me, the better I guess to check me out for maybe a treat or two (Sorry ladies I had nothing).
Catching them jumping forward and back over the fence was a real treat. For such large animals they are so very graceful.
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March 13th – I always love to find these, and this tree consuming a wire and wood fence is a beauty, spotted on the way to work in Darlaston this morning.
The brach, now a trunk in it’s own right, clearly sorted through the mesh – then consumed it without really causing any distortion and is now flowing, almost liquid, over the wooden crossmember beneath.
I suppose this can’t be good for the tree and must eventually cause an easy entry point for disease, but they do fascinate me. For now, this one seems in rude health…
October 23rd – Specially for a lady in Brownhills who commented over the weekend that I didn’t photograph frogs and toads anymore – well, the truth of the matter is… I do if I see them!
No the damp, dark evenings are here I’m more likely to see the amphibian community taking the air, just as I spotted this lovely frog near a garden fence in Sheffield this evening on my way home.
I love the patterns frogs have; they seem unique in colour and variety from frog to frog.
April 17th – Spotted in a canalside garden on a dull. overcast bank holiday afternoon, this black and white puss feigned disinterest, but was clearly watching me closely as I passed on the canal at Catshill.
I love how cats balance and seem comfortable on the thinnest, most awkward looking things.
March 5th – Chasewater was a blessed relief, but a mud bath. The North Heath was so wet, I was surprised to see the red deer browsing it over by the railway, seemingly unconcerned that they must have been paddling in the water.
There was a well-dispersed herd of maybe 14 adults, peaceful and in good health. It’s been a while since our paths crossed, so it was a nice reward to see them on such a grim, unpleasant afternoon.
I noted with some amusement that there’s a deer run developing around the fence by the Nine-Foot Pool – I wonder if they’re using the canal bridge on the far side to avoid the toll road?
July 29th – I’m not entirely sure what this plant is spotted growing near Wednesbury. It’s like cow parsley, with a flat flowerhead made of many tiny little flowers, but it’s way too short, and with a curious seed head.
There’s absolutely loads of it along the fences and verges here. Can anyone identify it?
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