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 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 6th – Also in Sutton Park, this tiny young rabbit would have fitted on the palm of my hand. Tiny, but quite happy to tolerate me at a distance if I didn’t move suddenly or do anything daft.
Bunny positively posed for me, and seemed very young, but it looked healthy and well fed.
I was just getting a bit closer when the spell was broken by a passing dog…
June 11th – I also passed the swan family with the single cygnet, who’d nested near to Bentley Bridge. They were resting and preening together on last year’s nest in the disused inlet at Pleck.
They young ‘un seems to be growing and looked pretty relaxed, so providing mum and day can keep it safe I think he should be OK now.
I’m really rooting for this particular family.
May 30th – I encountered the Watermead swan family right by the Watermead estate itself – and the cygnets, still at a remarkable 9, are growing well.
Mum and dad are clearly teaching their offspring well, as this young bird is already proficient in hand signals.
May 22nd – Also growing well, and still at the original 9, the Watermead swan family were out on a constitutional.
Those little balls of grey fluff are growing well, and mum and dad are very good parents, keeping them close and rounding up any explorers who stray.
May 24th – The Watermead swan family in Brownhills are doing just fine, after the loss of a single cygnet soon after hatching. The remaining six are looking healthy and growing well when I saw them in the evening. Mum and dad are clearly protective, but aren’t shy to show off their charges, either!
Meanwhile, on the canal towards Aldridge, a small but perfectly formed mallard mum with four cute little ducklings.
A joy to see all these young birds at the moment.
May 10th – On the canal in Walsall Wood, the obligatory heron was sourcing supper. Intently focussed on the water, it took no notice of me whatsoever. Such was the determination, I wondered if it had a young mouth or two to feed.
Despite waiting an age, the bird never struck, just kept on mesmerising it’s prey.
I hope it bagged some supper in the end.
April 24th – First of the year for me, spotted on the riverbank in north Leicester, these goslings were very cute. Not at all nervous of me, mum and dad were quite content to let me get close. They clearly weren’t very old and had cute in shedloads.
The photos didn’t work out too well, but I think you get the idea!
Now there’s a sign of spring!
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