Tag: hunting

#365daysofbiking Ready to strike

August 22nd – I got just two photos today, before the camera I’d absent-mindedly not charged for days went flat. Both were of this splendid heron, totally aware of me but studiously ignoring my presence, at least while breakfast was in prospect.

As herons often do, it pondered in the striking pose for some time: Alert, taut, ready. Then, either it’s prey swan away, or it just decided not to bother. The bird visibly relaxed, remembered I was there, cast me a contemptuous glance and flew off.

I know of few birds as oddly human in their habits as Herons are.

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#365daysofbiking Garden tiger

August 4th – I had a call to make over in Bridgtown and I was pushed for time so I blasted down the A5 and over the challengingly complex Churchbridge Islands, just for the hell of it. 25 minutes later, my errand was complete and I returned via Great Wyrley, intending to check out a lost lane I’d been meaning to do for a while.

In Hazel Lane, I startled this handsome set of stripes and whiskers who was stalking something small and squeaky in the hedge. What a fine garden tiger!

An absolutely gorgeous cat who was clearly very annoyed with me for disturbing it’s activities!

Someone if very proud of that puss, and justifiably so.

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#365daysofbiking A tense situation

May 21st – Not many people realise, but one of the reasons we see so many herons on local waterways at this time of year is that these large grey dishevelled fishers will also take young waterfowl chicks – moorhen, coot, ducklings, hatchling cygnets and goslings.

It’s not nice to think about, but herons have to eat too, and it’s why waterfowl have large clutches after all.

Today, in Pleck, Walsall I watched from the towpath as a tense situation developed: A pair of Canada geese with three goslings were heading into the path of the watchful eye of a heron, who was clearly looking for lunch.

The heron stayed put, statuesque, but the parents had spotted it. They halted their progress, and after what seemed like a silent debate between the parents, Dad honked loudly and aggressively at the heron. Heron was clearly irritated by the attention and took flight – the geese shouting what must have been abuse after it.

But, being a heron it landed again, a mere 100 yards down the canal.

Poor goslings have to be lucky all the time, the heron? Only once.

Nature, red in tooth and claw.

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#365daysofbiking That old imperative:

September 13th – First of the year for me, I would wager that conkers are irresistible to any British male of any age. We can’t simply walk past one of these beautiful shiny nuts lying on the ground.

In our childhoods, we hunted and sought these out, and today, they’re plentiful; but I still can’t resist collecting a few when I see horse chestnuts.

There lovely examples were in Lichfield Road near the Butts.

One of the nicer things about autumn.

July 14th – S sadly hastily snapped picture, but something I do love to see: a young grey heron, on the canal in Brownhills near Anchor Bridge, contentedly fishing, just caught with a fish in it’s bill.

The bird was about half adults size, and I was lucky to see it. So many about at the moment, but hard to get them actually actively hunting.

A great start to a long ride.

June 17th – Obvious cat is obvious.

This puss with high hopes and lofty ambitions was hunting by the canal at Rugeley – a roosting mallard had been spotted in the grass with her ducklings, and the story unfolded. Not a great hunter, no ducks were harmed in the making of this post and indeed, they seemed to be mocking the cat in the end.

The cat’s facial expressions are wonderful, particularly in the second image ‘Just a doin’ ma thang, nothin to see here’

Better luck next time puss.

May 28th – A lovely day, far removed from he storms the day before, so I took time out to visit Staunton Harold Reservoir, a few miles east of Foremark where I went last week.

It was a great ride at 74 miles, and travelling out via Weeford, Hints, Syerscote, Donisthorpe, Moira and Boundary, I called in at the great teashop at Hints and had great iced coffee and cake.

This nonchalant puss was spotted hunting in Weeford, but quickly adopted the relaxed, sleepy pose when it saw us. Confident and relaxed, a lovely looking cat I think I’ve met before.

May 1st – At the same complex of flats in Kings Hill where I saw old Sam yesterday, today a more… Ambitious young blade. 

I see he fancies corvid for lunch. That’s brave. The magpie clearly knew the cat was there and couldn’t have cared less. A standoff I brought to an end by killing the cat’s cool credibility and saying hello.

He was unamused but genial.

April 1st – Spotted in Weeford, this brisk tabby and white cat was annoyed that I disturbed it’s hunting activities. 

It’s now spring, and the season of startling cats, lying peering into hedgerows intently is upon us.

When startled they always look at you with a mixture of nonchalance and irritation.

Bless. What a lovely puss.

April 22nd – I headed out for an afternoon ride, still tentatively fiddling with some mechanical issues. I first called in to the Watermead swan family, to see if their clutch had hatched yet, but apparently not, but on the way, I found this longhaired hunter stalking a little mallard.

Annoyed I’d spotted him and therefore ruined his chances of a waterfowl for tea, he was hunting not 20 yards from the swan nest. Whilst puss here is no threat to the swans (or the mallard for that matter, despite the seriousness of his intent) I can’t help feeling he’ll be in for a short, painful shock if he fancies a little cygnet.

A swan peck on the head comes very sharp and swan parents don’t mess about!