May 23 – At Catshill Junction on the way back, a small, domestic thriller: a young, very ginger cat was watching a pair of unconcerned mallards, maybe thinking of plum sauce.
Of course, I broke the spell, and butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. What a lovely stripy fellow!
May 5th – This is always a nice first to chalk up for the year – the first duck and coot chicks have hatched. On the Walsall Canal at Pleck, proud mum and dad with large clutch of nine ducklings, and these three coots were spotted in Goscote, the rest of the family in overhanging bushes. I still think coot chicks have cute in shedloads.
Still no swan or Canada geese hatchlings yet.
October 14th – Hadn’t seen these guys for a bit, but when I passed the overflow at Clayhanger Bridge, the three crossbreed mallards were having a conflab in the shallows. It was a bit like how I imagine a Roman bath-house to be, but with ducks.
What I particularly like about these chaps is that they’re always together, and that they always seem to be smiling.
July 4th – Fully loaded with shopping, I pottered back, becoming slower and slower as my energy dropped. I was pleased to note, however, lots of new duckling families on the canal at Brownhills. There are mallard chicks from newly hatched to a week or so old, clearly all second clutches.
This summer seems to be favouring the wildlife, which is nice to see.
May 28th – At Clayhanger, the Mallard family that numbered four on Sunday is down to three; probably picked off by a heron or raptor (or perhaps even a fox), it’s sad to see but natural, I guess. Mum may go on to have another clutch this year, and this is the way of things I guess. But I do hope the missing one didn’t suffer too much.
Meanwhile, just near Clayhanger Bridge, a single Canada goose mum and one gosling. I think there must be a story there too; she looked like she was protecting her fluffy charge with grim determination.
Nature can be so brutal sometimes.
May 24th – The Watermead swan family in Brownhills are doing just fine, after the loss of a single cygnet soon after hatching. The remaining six are looking healthy and growing well when I saw them in the evening. Mum and dad are clearly protective, but aren’t shy to show off their charges, either!
Meanwhile, on the canal towards Aldridge, a small but perfectly formed mallard mum with four cute little ducklings.
A joy to see all these young birds at the moment.
19th March – On the Walsall Canal at Park Hall, having left work early in the afternoon to head to Birmingham in the decent weather, I come upon a small, kitchen sink drama.
Young cat fancies it’s paw at a little waterfowl: maybe mallard, or even Canada goose. The concentration is huge… the tension… then the cyclist spoils it.
Of course, the birds knew the cat was there. But puss’s ambition was impressive.
December 7th – I don’t remember Brownhills having the waterfowl when I was a kid that we have now – swans, mallards, coots, canada geese and more all dwell on the canals, pools and waterways, often aggressively hassling walkers for food.
I love these comical birds and their antics. Today at Chasewater, with the boating lake still dry,the residents were crowding the southern shore around the castle, jonesing for scraps and seed – so greedy, they didn’t even mind the presence of a dog.
Down by the watermead, an aggressive beggar blocked my right of way and pecked my tires.
I think they’re wonderful…
October 27th – Ah, Mr. Calico… we meet again. This male cat (he is male, and unneutered by the looks) was hunting mallard on the canal in Pleck as I spun through on my way to work. I’ve seen him a few times, always in exactly the same spot. He talks to me and curses me for disturbing his sport (although the ducks were honking at him and causing a drama long before I got close).
He always moves high up on the embankment from where he can look down on me in safety, then meows long wailing cries, always seeming like curses.
Somebody loves that lad. He’s in fine fettle. And good voice.
August 13th – It may be late summer, but there’s still young ones about on the new pool at Clayhanger – fine, healthy mallard ducklings pottered about, as did a couple of moorhen chicks out with mum.
Ducklings have all the cute – but young moorhens seem to have the same dishevelled, grumpy appearance as young owls. They look like befuddled old men.
They are very endearing though.
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