August 11th – I think this is an interesting submission for seven days of wildlife. The teasel currently sprouting from Catshill junction Bridge in Brownhills is flowering, and clearly attracting the bees.
Anything that helps the fellows in stripy jumpers is great by me – and I’d never studied before how intricate these almost prehistoric-looking blooms are.
An interesting find on an otherwise dull day.
August 10th – So, continuing Susan Forster’s seven day wildlife challenge, no such series would be complete without the swans. Truculent, grumpy, aggressive and temperamental, we all love these large waterfowl.
I spotted the Bentley Bridge family – still doing well with their single cygnet – at the disused basin in Pleck on my way to work. Just one at first, drifting in classic leg-up rest position, preening with intense concentration.
Swan feet are fascinating – so leathery and hard-wearing. A triumph of natural engineering.
The other two members of the family were nearby. I notice junior is now, like the Watermead cygnets in Brownhills, developing white back feathers now, and all trace of juvenile grey fluff has gone.
Oh, how these birds enthral me.
August 9th – Reader Susan Forster has challenged me to take a photo of wildlife every day for seven days.
The opportunities for animals are limited, obviously, but I’ll give it a go and start with the humble urban sparrow, one of my favourite birds. Sociable, gregarious and actually quite lovely if you look closely, these overlooked birds are a large part of our landscape, yet barely acknowledged as they’re so common.
This group were fussing around the steps of Bentley Bridge, preening, pecking for bugs and generally hanging out.
July 24th – Finally getting out on a ride late afternoon, I found myself on the canal near Tamworth. Here, I met a family of swans, with four cygnets. These were clearly rural birds, much more aloof than their urban counterparts; mum was very protective, and rather than hector me for food, they all grazed happily on the waterside greens.
It was a happy, healthy family and like the mallards yesterday, a very good thing to see.
July 23rd – Spotted on the canal near Tamhorn Park, between Hopwas and Hademore, this late brood of mallard ducklings. Mum wasn’t nervous and tolerated me quite close, and the little chicks were relaxed and content.
I love the fact that umma almost, Mona-Lisa like seems to be smiling. I must stop anthropomorphising animals, but she seems very pleased with herself.
There are few things cuter than ducklings, after all.
July 19th – Oh, hi pals. Where have you been? Not seen you for a while.
Near Bentley Bridge, just near the nest where they hatched their single cygnet, the swan family were moving purposefully towards Darlastoin.
Their single offspring – very attentively looked after – is growing large, and doing well by the looks of things.
They stopped briefly to see if I had food, then scooted on, little one in the classic ‘resting foot’ position, leathery limb tucked high on the back for rest.
A lovely sight.
July 17th – A very hot day with no little wind, and I set off on a ride cursed by mechanical problems, but I still got 57 miles in which was well worth it and very enjoyable. What was noticeable with the sudden arrival of summer was the active animal life. The deer were still showing well at Home Farm, and a rather hung-over looking heron was preening and looking a little mad near Wharf Lane. In between the two, a cat with remarkable whiskers was languidly patrolling his canalside patch.
July 16th – I know the deer have been on Home Farm at Sandhills for a while – I accidentally photographed a lone stag there last autumn – but I’ve never seen a large group. Until today.
A grouo of red deer females, with three fawns, were loafing in a field margin but the canal, at the conjunction between the oilseed rape crop and some wheat. They were not nervous and seemed comfortable.
I think they’re getting here from CLayhanger Common, as previously I’ve seen footprints on Catshill Junction Bridge, and there seems to be a lot of trampling in the hedge-gaps.
The local deer population really is ubiquitous now.
July 9th – Finally for today, and for TheStymaster, Denis Jones and others, the Newtown One lives, and is still clearly a bit eccentric.
With the Abbey Road white ducks sadly down to two like the bachelor boys in Walsall Wood (the mallard cross group), it was feared the foxes had claimed Mrs. Muscovy, but no, she’s just getting better at hiding.
She’s not a number, she’s a free duck!
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.
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