July 13th – I haven’t seen these guys for a while , and my goodness, they’ve grown! These are the Watermead swan family from Brownhills, and they came over to see if I had any food as I passed Clayhanger Bridge.
I was glad to see they still number five, and interesting to see the very beginnings of adult plumage forming on the growing cygnets.
Here’s to another successful year!
July 1st – The Pleck swans were cool in the heat this morning, although dad didn’t seem to be around. The youngsters are growing at a rate now.
Dem feet tho. That doesn’t look comfortable, but it must be. Always amused by it.
June 13th – So, the Watermead cygnets are down to five – this is definitely the family, spotted today near their nest. They started with seven and have lost two, which isn’t too bad – most likely to predators of some sort. The youngsters are growing well and seemed happy and healthy (as far as I could tell, anyway).
It’s so good to watch the local wildlife mature like this. You almost develop an attachment to the birds as they get older.
June 5th – I saw what I assume are the Watermead swan family on the canal mid afternoon; sadly they seem to have lost a cygnet – most likely to a fox now they’re growing so large. It’s sad, but natural – the fox has to feed too, and it’s why swans have such large clutches.
The remainder look healthy and are feeding well, and are growing at an alarming rate.
Let’s hope mum and dad select safe roosting sites at night from now on.
May 29th – A quick run through Walsall Wood on the cut on a wet morning rewarded me with all kinds of life in the dripping wet green. The swan family from the Watermead were near Clayhanger Bridge and had obviously gone past their nap-time. Shame about the litter, sadly left where people were fishing the day before.
If people bring stuff with them, is it really so hard to take it back home?
The Canada Geese goslings are also growing well, and were closer to The Black Cock bridge – but in-between, a stripy fellow was being nonchalant and pretending he’d not seen me.
Life teams this time of year, rain or shine.
May 18th – Ah, so commence the annual cygnet search. On the way to work in heavy rain and also on the way back, I looked over to the nest of the Pleck swans, and noted they weren’t on the nest. I couldn’t spot them between there and Darlaston either, so they’re probably roaming for food now. I’m concerned about them since the heron incident, but I’m sure they will be OK somewhere. Just a question of when I’ll spot them.
In the mean time, I had to content myself with the goslings that seem so numerous this year.
I love spring.
May 14th – Bittersweet. Also in the rain, the Brownhills Watermead swan family, I first took pictures of at the weekend – doing well, but down from seven cygnets to six. One will have been snatched by a predator, or may have been weak and died; but the rest look fine and are already growing. Out with mum and dad who were keeping a watchful eye, they were a lovely family.
Such joy and sadness in nature.
May 13th – The Walsall Canal swans at Pleck had hatchlings when I passed them midday; I was very pleased to count four, and I suspected she was hatching more. The cob patrolled on the open water, and the scene was tranquil.
I returned the same way that evening on my way home, to find a drama unfolding. An elderly heron was perched on the rear rail, his beady eye making unfailing eye contact with the cob, who was perched on the nest with his mate. There was clearly deadlock – the heron obviously had spotted an opportunity, but the swans were having none of it.
In a couple of days when grown, they’ll be safe from the herons and other predators, but it’ll be a tense few days for mum and dad as they guard their precious charges.
Nature, red in tooth and claw.
May 12th – A great morning ride, although the wind was against me, again another wolfish May day. I hopped onto the canal at Pleck, hoping to see swan hatchlings, but mum was still sitting. Her partner was attentively maintaining the nest – packing a bit more reed here, throwing away some debris there.
The wait goes on…
I noticed near the Scarborough Road bridge in Pleck the huge Lilac shrubs wonderfully in flower, and just a bit further along, an elderly heron watched me carefully.
So much wildlife to see on the canal in central Walsall, there really is.
May 9th – A big welcome, if you please, to the newest residents of Brownhills, seven swan chicks newly hatched in the last 24 hours or so to the swan couple who have been nesting at the Watermead, just near the Canoe Centre in Brownhills.
The 7 fluffy hatchlings were active, and seemed fit, although I think there may have originally been eight, as I think in some photos there appears to be a lifeless one in the nest. But seven survivors is a good number, and if they can get through the next week or so without being lunch for predators, they’ll be just fine.
Mum and dad were showing their brood off beautifully, and the Canoe people are avoiding them – out of respect for wildlife and also out of pecking distance of the Cob!
We can expect to lose a few of these fluffy chaps – we lost one of the eight at Catshill last year – as at this stage, they’re vulnerable to mustelids, foxes, rats and even herons – which is just natural.
So if you can, get down and have a look at these delightful birds. Please don’t feed them bread, however, as it’s bad for them. There’s plenty of natural food and they’re foraging well.
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