Tag: swans

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…

November 8th – The family bonds between the members of the various swan broods hatched this summer seem to be breaking, slowly. I see more and more cygnets out on their own now, or small groups.

This is clearly good, and natural, but it does make me a little sad that I’ll not see anymore neat lines of swans proceeding about the local canals until we get more families next year.

This pair – I don’t think they’re from the Catshill brood, as they were unringed – were loafing and preening at Catshill junction and didn’t seem to mind my presence too much, just occasionally growling and hissing at me.

They really are fine, healthy birds. I’m fascinated in the attention they pay to their undercarriage: the positions they get into while maintaining their feathers are incredible.

October 18th – Certainly seeing that family with five cygnets about a lot. They were tooling around the canal, grazing and generally patrolling. I saw them several times during the day, but by mid afternoon, they were loafing and preening in one of the canalside back gardens near Humphries House.

I don’t know why, but these gorgeous, grumpy and truculent birds have me captivated.

October 16th – I’ve come to the conclusion there’s another swan family moved down here, probably from Aldridge. Nipping back into Walsall Wood on an errand, I spotted five cygnets and mum; they don’t seem as advanced in development as the Catshill brood, which are really quite white now, and these seem cheekier, and more unruly. 

Looking for food along the embankment at the back of Barrow Close, they were watched by a distinctly unamused bystander, a large, grumpy-looking marmalade cat.

There’s a story there, I’m sure.

October 11th – I was intrigued to note at Chasewater what seems to be the Catshill brood of swans. Numbering 6 cygnets plus mum and dad, they are well into developing adult plumage now, and were on the main lake towards the north end of the dam. I’m not too alarmed that one appears to be missing, as I saw a single, lone cygnet on Friday at Clayhanger Bridge, so I think the family ties must be loosening now.

Later on, I noticed them proceeding across the lake in a stately line, the speedboats avoiding them.

I’m pleased to see them still prospering; it’s been a real joy to follow their progress this year.

October 4th – In Goscote, what I know as the Pelsall swan family. Dad and a couple of cygnets lost to, in all probability, a fox, the tree remaining young and mum seem to be doing well, and it was good to see them.

Noticeably more friendly that the Catshill brood, they came to see if I had food, before scudding away when they realised none was coming. 

I haven’t seen the Catshill swans for ages, but the Swan Lady pointed out there were cygnets on Chasewater there now, so they’ve probably joined the wider flock there.

Following these lovely birds this year has been a real joy.

September 11th – I only went and forgot the camera again. This week can’t end quickly enough. Something is not functioning at all well.

On the way to work, in central Walsall the traffic felt risky, so I hopped on the canal and rode to Darlaston that way. On the way, I bumped into this family of swans.

This bunch are very attentive to humans – I suspect they get fed regularly. They were almost harassing me for food. The adults seem smaller than the Catshill brood, and there’s only three cygnets, but they’re lovely, healthy birds, and seem to have been ringed.

As soon as they realised I wasn’t going to produce bread, they went back to foraging in the weed and quickly drifted away. Cupboard love.

August 22nd – The sun came out, and whilst riding over Anchor Bridge I’d noticed the swan family were headed off up the canal at a determined pace. I snatched a frankly awful picture, then went on my way. My mission in Brownhills aborted, I doubled back to get some better pictures, and quickly found the swans in a morass of at least 200 Canada Geese on the canal between Catshill Junction and Silver Street. 

The swans are in fine fettle – I had been concerned last week after not seeing them awhile, and there had been a surplus of white feathers on the water near the bridge, but it turned out volunteers had been ringing them. According to reports, they spent a couple of days sulking in Aldridge, then came back.

Quite what’s attracting the numbers of geese here, I have no idea. I note there’s some outrage about Sandwell having undertaken a cull recently, but with few predators, goose numbers are skyrocketing, which increases pressure on food supplies. It’s a tricky question I guess.

After all, one does get so attached to these birds…

August 2nd – I suspect you readers might be getting fed up with my obsession with swans, but with several local broods this year it’s made me more aware of these fascinating birds and their habits.

This afternoon, the Catshill brood – still at an impressive seven plus mum and dad – were on the canal between Catshill Junction and the Pier Street bridge, just to the rear of Lindon Drive.

They were doing something I never knew that swans would do – they were eating blackberries from brambles growing at the canal side. The youngsters were positively devouring the fruit.

I never knew they ate such things. 

When they realised I was watching, they regrouped, and headed off.

July 29th – Sorry, more cygnets. I didn’t know about these, but taking a desperate dive onto the canal to avoid traffic madness on my way to work, I passed this family of three and parents in Pleck, Walsall. 

They interested me particularly, as the young are clearly starting to develop white plumage, yet look younger than the Catshill brood (they’re smaller, too).

The adults don’t look any different, though…