Tag: Heron

March 24th – Compression of the neck… herons are more and more common now. Barely a towpath ride goes by without seeing one, and on longer rides like last week, I’ll see five or six, which must be a symbol of how clean the waters are now and how the fish population must by bountiful, too. 

This proud bird was on the towpath in Pleck, just by the wall of Rollingmill Street Cemetery, pretty much the industrial heart of Walsall. Wary of me but not skittish, by dismounting the bike and taking things gently I got close enough for some decent pictures, I think.

I adore herons.

March 7th – After the jumble, a ride into Brum on the canals and cycleways of the northeast of the city, and at Perry Common, north of Witton Lakes, a bit of urban wildlife that astounded and delighted.

A brook flows down from Kingstanding, collecting land drains as it goes, through Witton Lakes and Brookvale Lake, and it’s a lot healthier than it once was, although it’s still suffering from fly tipping and urban pollution. It is, however, clearly supporting a healthy quantity of fish, which this elderly heron was picking off like chocolates from a selection box.

He ignored me as he fished, 10 meters away, pausing and darting for small, silvery treasures whose luck had run out. He would then lift his bill, swallow, and once can see the fish bulge in the bird’s neck.

I was captivated for a good 15 minutes. This is great wildlife, in a very, very urban setting. There is wonder everywhere.

January 6th – An early, grey commute was brightened by something I’d never seen before, a heron in Jockey Meadows. A fair way from the canal or Ryders Mere, it must either have been resting or hunting in the water meadows here.

The photos are awful, and very long distance, but I’ve never seen a heron here before.

It set me up for the day.

October 27th – A quieter, and altogether more successful hunter was just up the waterway at Bentley Bridge. Initially quite well hidden in the reeds, I clearly put this young grey heron off his fishing stroke too.

I love herons – haven’t had one here for a bit. I still find it remarkable that I now see them in the most urban of areas. A real signifier of environmental improvement.

October 24th – I was in Redditch, which is quite a rarity for me these days. It wasn’t a great day weather-wise, either, and the rain caught me on the way back – taking shelter in the bakery at the top of Unicorn Hill, I realised I had to go for my train. I got soaked.

Like Telford, it’s easy to take the mickey out of Redditch, but it’s really rather beautiful, and at no time does it show more than autumn. From the neat order of Church Green, to the timber frame houses of Ipsley, the grey heron on Arrow Lake and the peaceful solitude of the cycleway, this isn’t a bad place.

It’s even better when the sun’s out…

September 14th – Back up on Cannock Chase for the first time in ages, and I really loved it. From the Heron near Ogley Junction, to Abrahams Valley and Parrs Warren, I had a great afternoon, racing around and generally throwing the bike around. It made a change, it’s been a long while.

That foot injury has been really holding me back. So glad it’s healed now.

September 9th – As I rode home along the canal through Walsall Wood, I came upon a Mexican standoff. A small, black and white kitten one side of the canal, staring out a Heron on the other who was meeting the stare eye-to-eye.

They’d probably both still be there, but a clumsy cyclist with tea on his mind broke the moment.

August 27th – A run out mid afternoon on an errand. I headed up the canal from Pelsall Road to Silver Street bridge, then over Clayhanger Common and the new pond to Walsall Wood. 

The herons are getting really, really confident; this one was on the canal by the Watermead estate. He wasn’t a bit bothered by what was going on around him.

The Swan family were grazing by the embankment restoration near the Black Cock Bridge. The seven young I’ve followed since hatching are adult-sized now, and the first hints of adult, white plumage are beginning to show. I don’t know what the bank works have disturbed, but these graceful birds were very engaged with eating it!

August 23rd – I had to pop into Aldridge on an errand, and so I took the canal. There’s an autumnal nip in the air, and everything is ripening. A fine crop of elderberries, blackberries and haws will make some fantastic pddings and wine, and the rosebay willowherb is demonstrating beautifully why it’s know as ‘old man’s beard’. 

The only disappointment is the acorn crop, which is very, very bad. Only the second tree I’ve seen with any fruit this year – oddly, the acorns that grew are fat and in excellent shape, but the tree is mostly carrying the dead buds of undeveloped fruit. Most odd.

And then, that heron. He’s persistent, I’ll give him that. A fine bird.

August 18th – If you haven’t noticed by now, I love herons. Adore them. I make no apology for featuring this one, just a day from featuring the last one – this was was on the restored embankment at the Black Cock Bridge in Walsall Wood.

Love the way he had his back to the water, and was stood on one leg, resting pensively.

I could never tire of watching these fellows.