July 9th – A bumper day for photos, although the weather was still wolfish and punitively gusty. At the north heath at Chasewater, the deer were browsing. Just the pair at first, then another six joined them to peer inquisitively at me. Now in their summer coats, they’ve lost the scruffiness of the moult and look healthy and well.
Still can’t believe these wonderful animals live on our doorsteps.
June 2nd – Can the concept of ghost signs be applied to commercial vehicles, do you think?
For those that don’t know, ghost signs are the defunct, redundant or barely legible remains of signs on buildings advertising long gone places of companies, and spotting them is quite a thing in some circles. I’ve been passing this red box van in Shelfield for months and wondering.
The legend on it once said ‘Another bun run from: Riverside Bakery – Tel Middlesbro’ 247181 – Tel N’Castle0191 271 4874′ – but it’s since been removed, and only the non-faded shadow of the text remains.
Interestingly (or perhaps not) the bakery seemed to make the news for all the wrong reasons in 2006, but I think it still might exist.
The trivialities I notice when cycling really do trouble me sometimes…
May 23 – I get a bit tired sometimes of defending Brownhills, Walsall and the Black Country. People call all three dirty, unpleasant, polluted, ugly.
All these animals were seen on my journey to and from work today. There can’t be many urban situations where you pass deer and herons on a Monday morning, can there?
I particularly liked the cygnet preening, just like it’s mum.
I love this place.
April 17th – A ride over a very muddy Cannock Chase and Shugborough on a fine, sunny but quite cold afternoon. I saw a small group of red deer on Norton Bog, several of which had been mud-bathing to aid their moult. The Chase itself was as beautiful, wide open, cinematic and deserted as usual, and Shugborough’s farm animals and new arrivals were charming and cute.
With an insistent west wind and low energy it was a battle at times, but a lovely ride. This spring has been truly wonderful, even if the weather hasn’t really played along.
February 15th – My deer magnet is currently working well.
I stopped in Shelfield to catch the sunset, and came upon a herd of red deer near Coppice Woods on Green Lane.
They were comfortably loafing, and showed slight interest in me, but weren’t overly bothered. I still can’t believe these wonderful creatures roam free in out countryside.
A wonderful, and unexpected sight. Shame the light wasn’t better!
March 13th – Always nice to see the deer; this large herd were between Norton Bog and Cuckoo bank, and didn’t seem much bothered by me al all, eventually being scared off by a the noise of a siren on the nearby main road.
It was quite misty so the photos aren’t as clear as I’d like.
They look healthy and content.
January 24th – An awful image, snatched at dusk through a hedgerow at Newtown, Brownhills: four red deer females loafing and grazing in the field between the canal and Chase Road.
After years of seeing them around Brownhills, I’m still not over the frisson of noticing them: they feel so out of place and exotic, even though this is their home.
A lovely thing on an otherwise dull day.
November 8th – My sombre mood was lifted on the way home by 13 red deer spotted loafing near Chasewater. The young stag seemed to have been fitted with antlers tuned for both DAB and FM, but he was a proud fellow. Sadly, the awful light prevented better photos but this healthy, relaxed herd was beautiful to see.
Just what I needed.
October 25th – This momma deer and her two calves – a yearling and this year’s – were happily browsing on the common when I spotted them. Nervous, all but the little one hid for a while, then braved my camera.
Lovely creatures, in good health, by the looks. I loved the colours in the youngest’s coat.
October 22nd – A great dawn in fine weather with a much appreciated tail wind was a real joy to ride in, and a marked difference from the day before when I got soaked in persistent, heavy rain.
At Mill Grren, I stopped to watch the sun rise over Hill Hook and towards Tamworth. A massive, red-smeared sky opened out minute by minute, and was truly captivating.
Mornings like this make me much more comfortable with autumn, for sure.
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