Tag: grebe

#365daysofbiking Grebious

May 24th – Spotted on an evening spin out to Chasewater on a test ride following some essential, pre long ride maintenance – great crested grebes on the canal near Wharf Lane.

Unusual to get a shot of these handsome creatures without them diving at the critical moment.

What I’m curious about is despite the huge amount of fish in the canal (and it is alive with fry at the moment) I hardly ever see grebes upon it. Wonder why? Plenty on the main lake at Chasewater, though.

A mystery.

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November 20th – I know very little about great crested grebes, but there seemed to be rather a lot of them on Chasewater as I passed through. Difficult to photograph for their habit of diving just as you get them in shot, they are gradually transitioning into winter plumage and losing their distinctive brown flashes on their heads. They dive and pursue fish underwater, and I wonder if their recent apparent profusion at Chasewater indicates improving fish populations there following the dry years when the lake was drained.

Lovely birds, fascinating to watch.

April 2nd – Elsewhere around Clayhanger and Brownhills on this golden afternoon, momma swan was still giving me the evil eye from her nest on the canalside by the Watermead estate, but she did pause to stand and turn her eggs. The crested grebe still seems happy pottering on the canal near Walsall Wood, and continuing the mad, unsynchronised spring Spanish bluebells are flowering in a hedgerow at Clayhanger Common.

Spring is well underway, it’s warming up at last and everything is starting. Fantastic!

March 24th – I keep seeing this fellow about the canal recently. I’m assuming it’s the same bird – I’ve seen him up by Newtown in Brownhills, and today by Clayhanger Bridge at the rear of the Maybrook Industrial Estate. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a crested grebe on the canal before. 

I suppose there’s no reason why not, but I do wonder why these delightful birds – common at Chasewater – are not seen on the canals much if at all.

A mystery.

November 16th – A grim ride, mostly in rain, up to Chasewater and back round by Brownhills Common. It wasn’t cold, but the light was atrocious and it didn’t feel great to be out to be honest. Some great views at Chasewater, though, with that wonderful colour from yesterday. I see the grebes are in winter plumage now, and the waterline on Jeffrey’s Swag and the North Shore could have been Penmaen.

Mr. Whiskers was the first cat I’ve ever seen on the north shore. He did’t seem to be lost. 

Back in Brownhills, a lone cygnet made the canal view complete, and winter marigolds guerrilla planted by Becks Bridge on the Pelsall Road  raised a smile.

Hope the weather improves soon.

April 5th – I’ll never make a wildlife photographer – or indeed, any type of photographer – as long as I have breath in my body. I rode up onto the dam bridge at Chasewater, and passed the time of day with a great friend I happened to meet there by chance. As we chatted, I spotted a crested grebe on the water in front of us. I joked that every time you take a picture, they dive just before you hit the button. I was moderately lucky on two shots out of 11.

I don’t think Simon King will ever have anything to worry about. But I do love these gorgeous little birds.

May 15th – Today, I went to Redditch for the first time in more than six months. I really enjoyed the Arrow Valley Cycle route, and have missed it loads. This traffic free, quiet belt of parkland runs along the river arrow right from north to south Redditch, and is a real eye-opener. It’s beautifully tended, litter free and a haven for wildlife. The Arrow was in full flow after the heavy rains of the previous night, and the paths were wet and glistened. Canada Geese loafed as swallows dived over the central lake, and grebes scudded past. Everything was beautifully green, and the lower reaches smelled beautifully of wild garlic, although the crop this year is limited. Where there had been whole glades of this aromatic plant last year, there were only clumps.

I’ve missed this commute. It’s lovely.

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.

March 1st – Although still very cold, it feels like spring is stirring. Crocus tips are turning colour in preparation to bloom, and the birdlife seems busy. I noted the swans on the canal near the old mill by Home Farm were looking cosy again. I’m convinced it’s the same couple from last year who nested, laid and failed to hatch their eggs – hopefully, they’ll have more success this year. 

The crested grebe was pottering about on Chasewater, away from the gull roost by the valve house on the damn. He was hard to photograph in poor light, but he was a beautiful chap, and did the customary grebe dive fro fish, which must mean there’s still a few in there.

If only the weather felt a bit more spring-like.

May 3rd – The birdlife is engaging at the moment. Swallows and martins dipped over the water at Chasewater, and a couple of crested grebes slid past as I took photos from the dam. Meanwhile, down on the canal, Mrs. Swan still sits on her eggs. Today, she was being tended to by her partner. I found this interesting – he doesn’t normally seem to be in close proximity much. I wondered if it was a sign of hatching imminent. He swam over to me as I studied them, and hissed darkly. He’s going to be a whole bundle of fun if there’s cygnets around.