Tag: water meadow

#365daysofbiking In the meadow

April 22nd – With this working from home malarkey (I still cannot get used to it) I’ve not been seeing some familiar places this spring, much if at all.

Jockey Meadows is one such place.

Usually one of the last places to show signs of spring, when I took my exercise ride today it was beautifully green, almost verdant. A real feast for the senses with bird and wildlife clearly happy and getting on with life in a way we can’t.

Hello old friend. Happy spring!

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#365daysofbiking Ah, there you are:

September 3rd – I finally spotted them – 2 coos way off in the scrub of Jockey Meadows, Walsall Wood.

These young bulls are released to graze this Site of Special Scientific Interest periodically to maintain the meadow by eating the fast growing species and giving the slower, lower plants a chance. Their hooves chew up the soft ground and encourage new growth, and there is of course the fertilising power of the cowpat love they spread with abandon.

So far, I can see just two, far off in the tall grass and reeds. I look forward to meeting them at the gate soon.

July 21st – The lads are still working hard in a field further up Green Lane. The small herd of cattle continue to live in the watermeadow, which is looking noticeably more cropped than it was. The cows themselves are all looking in fine fettle – but I do have a soft spot for the brown and white one.

Is it me, or does he seem to be smiling?

April 19th – I hadn’t wandered over Jockey Meadows for years – I must do it again. Leaving the bike in the hedge, I waded through the water meadow towards the deer. The land here is saturated, and appears very fertile. Globeflowers are in bloom, and frog, toad and newt spawn are evident in the shallow water (frog spawn is in clumps, toad in ribbons. Newt spawn is laid in small pockets on the stems of underwater plants or in the curls of leaves and fronds). There is a healthy greenness here. I can see why the deer love it. This is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and I can see why.