May 7th – I went to see the swans down at the Watermead, and found them at Silver Street, enjoying the sun and learning from mum and dad how to forage.
They are still very much grey balls of fluff and adorable, and I spent a lovely ten minutes watching their antics as they splashed, bickered and tried to copy their parents.
So good to see this young family grow and develop.
May 6th – Another cheering thing was the discovery that the Watermead swan couple, nesting near the canoe centre in Brownhills, had finally hatched their clutch. Not huge this year at six cygnets, but not a poor showing either, it was lovely to see the little grey balls of fluff out learning how to feed with their parents.
Squabbling, squeaking and flapping around, it’s impossible for these little birds to make you anything less than joyous.
I hope none are predated this year, but with the preponderance of foxes and herons, we may well lose young chicks in the coming week or two, and we should be prepared – most years one or two are lost.
Also, if you go to see these lovely creatures – and what better wildlife sight could you share with young kids – then feed them greens or seed, but not bread. Bread has no nutritional value to waterfowl and can cause health problems. They like garden peas and greens,. and always enjoy seed.
Go and see these wonderful little chaps while they’re young and fluffy!
May 5th On the way home I took the canal from Darlaston, in the hope of avoiding the worst of the wind. Nearing the factories near Pratts Mill Bridge, I noticed this swan, ostensibly asleep but clearly monitoring me on the far side of the canal, nurturing it’s clutch of eggs.
I wonder if it’s the swan couple that in previous years have nested in the old Gasworks Arm and Anson Junction in Pleck? No sign of them up there this year. Hopefully I’ll be able to catch sight of one of the parents leg-rings soon and find out for sure.
April 23rd – On the canal at Hopwas, a swan nest. The male was stood on the towpath, alternately preening and scolding passers by, while his partner, safely atop the nest on the opposite bank fussed and turned her three eggs to just the right position before settling back down to watch and wait once more.
Swans are such truculent, fascinating birds.
April 14th – Nipping to Brownhills for a bit of shopping, late and in quite heavy rain. It was warm rain though, so not too bad.
I paid a visit to the Watermead swans, to see if we had hatchlings, but one bird was still sitting and no sign of the partner.
I think they’ll hatch any day soon!
March 18th – Talking of swans, here’s a flock of about 100 grazing on a field of young oilseed rape near Wetleyhay, between Whittington and Fradley, today.
This behaviour isn’t often witnessed by urban swan fans, but large congregations of these birds will often descend on open farmland to feed from young crops and can actually totally strip a field in no more than a few days.
This presents quite a challenge to farmers, who know public opinion isn’t on their side. In frequently targeted areas, farmers will often zig-zag tapes across vulnerable fields to make landing difficult for the swans.
Whilst we all love these large, beautiful birds, it can’t be very easy for farmers to lose their crops in this way…
February 13th – On the canal near Bentley Mill Way Aqueduct, a pair of swans feeding on canal-bottom greens, enjoying the company of each other and honking noisily.
They were far too busy browsing the algae to be disturbed by me, and they performed beautifully. You can say what you like, but a swan with only it’s arse sticking above the water is very amusing, and certainly not graceful. A lovely thing to watch.
But those feet too, though. Swan feet are fascinating, and they look almost pre-historic.
January 25th – On the way to work at dawn on a cold morning. There was patchy ice on the canal, but not enough to impede the swans as they scudded toward Silver Street, presumably for food from fellow dawn commuters and walkers. Dawn had wrapped a gentle pink shroud over proceedings, which was lovely.
The light is creeping back into life, tentatively, slowly.
It’s most welcome.
January 21st – It seems my optimism at the dawning of the light the previous day was seriously misplaced. Saturday was grey and cold and had nothing to give in it’s merit.
I slid out around dusk after spattering the bike: as usual when fixing up a steed, it always feels faster and way better, although what I’d done had not affected the drivetrain at all. Perhaps it’s a salved guilty conscience over lack of maintenance that makes it ride better.
Chasewater at night has lost none of it’s magic, and I guess we’re again heading into the season of good sunsets, which is another thing to be positive about, but as it was today, the lake and park were still and cold, save for the gentle grumbling of swans sheltering in the lee of the dam.
Spring will be nice this year, I’ve decided…
September 16th – On the way through Wednesfield, I met their swan family; mum, dad and six cygnets in rude heath. The young are as big as their parents and look well developed.
Bickering and playfully pecking each other, they were clearly enjoying life and seemed like a happy, noisy family uint, clearly on a mission to the east, assisted by the wind.
A real delight.
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