Tag: Heron

October 19th – The refilling of Chasewater has been very swift and remarkable. Saved by a very, very wet season, it occurred to me today looking at the new outfall arrangement that there’s only a shade over a metre to go until the reservoir is full and flowing into the Nine-Foot. Of course, there’s a huge increase in area to cover in that metre, so it won’t be quick. On the 30th of September the level was just off the 148.35m AOD start level of the scale, maked ‘9’. Today, it’s at 6.5. Since the scale is marked in decimetres, that’s a 250mm rise in 19 days to approximately 148.6m AOD. That’s incredible.

It’s nice to see healthy birdlife return, too. Long time since I’ve seen a heron loafing on the waterski jetty.

August 26th – An afternoon ride to get some fresh air, and a gentle loop around Chasewater took me past Fly Pool, near the north heath. One of the quieter bits of the park, one can often find interesting wildlife in these areas. I noticed this fine fellow gently spinning on the ‘No Swimming’ marker in the middle of the pool. It could only have been perfect if the sign had said ‘No Fishing’…

June 25th – This handsome, slightly mad-looking and somewhat tame fellow was fishing near Pleck in Walsall when I returned late afternoon. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, and the canal looked great. Everything was so green and lush… and there he stood, amongst it all. He’s clearly used to people and didn’t move until I was 10 feet away from him. A gorgeous bird.

June 4th – The disappointments of the day were compensated for handsomely by the herons on the canal. Even the darkest bits of the industrial Black Country – and I hit the Tame Valley Canal, which has some very grim bits indeed – was host to these fine fishers. Oddly twitchy, it was difficult to get any pictures, but this fine fellow obliged in Rushall. Death on two legs to it’s hapless prey, I must have seen ten or more of these dishevelled, rickety looking birds. Also prolific were the common terns, whose missile-like fishing skills have to be seen to be believed.

April 6th – Back on the canal at Rushall Junction, going up the Rushall Extension through Park Hall, the wildlife seems to be about again. I think this is my first heron photo this year, and he was a bit jumpy, to be frank. There don’t seem to be many of these about on the canals right now. The other little chap is the deceptively named Grey Wagtail, who seemed to be engaged in courting behaviour. A charming little bird, he bobbed about for a while utterly unconcerned by the cyclist looking on, fascinated.

August 26th – It’s been a while since I did a gratuitous heron post. Followers of this journal will know that I adore herons in all their dishevelled, scatterbrain glory. I find them comical, beautiful and fascinating. Yesterday, I saw five, mostly around Aldridge and Park Hall. Delightful birds, including the juvenile, which I suspect is the same one recently observed by top wildlife togger Zksby.

A poster on my main blog recently claimed that you couldn’t get close enough to a heron to throw stones at one – a practice I’ve sadly seen some anglers involved in – which must be evidence of an ingrained fear of fishermen at work. I was within a few meters of all of these fine specimens.

June 20th – I had a number of pictures to choose from from today’s commute, but you can’t beat a good heron. This fellow waited until I was within a couple of feet of him to make his presence known, all feathers and flapping as he rose in panic from the Birchills canal bank. I love everything about herons – their size, their oddly dishevelled appearance, their Heath Robinson looking legs, but mostly, I’m always impressed by their size and unexpected grace in the air. A fine specimen.