Galleries

May 12th – In total contrast to the rest of the week, a beautiful, warm but breeze day and very enjoyable riding indeed. As I set out early, bird were making the most of the early light, and the world seemed to be gently drying.

Arriving at work, my attention was snagged by the flowerbeds on the industrial estate. I love how tulips look like they have some kind of arachnid inside them.

A gorgeous day, which was wonderfully restorative after an awful few days.

May 11th – On the Walsall Canal, despite the grim weather, life was continuing as normal. There are coot chicks in abundance, and I’ve been savouring the excellent description of them by Phil Griffin as ‘looking like badly knitted moorhens’ – they certainly are odd little things. 

There was blossom aplenty from lilac and ornamental cherry, and the heron paused in it’s preening to look crossly at me, as if I’d broken it’s train of thought. 

All of this in a 50 metre stretch of canal in the centre of urban Walsall.

May 10th – I squelched through Walsall Wood on the way home, like a drowned rat. The deluge had been particularly heavy around the ring road, and it had made the traffic aggressive and worrying.

I had something to do in Walsall Wood, and mindful of my promise to bring my friend the best of what was around, I spotted the gorgeous cherry blossom at St. Johns.

The day may have been a washout, but this more than made up for it.

May 10th – What a horrendous day of commuting – heavy rain in both directions left me soaked with frayed nerves.

Such was my desire to escape the traffic on the way to work, I hopped on the canal knowing how bad the mud would be – but I was past caring.

In the warm, actually not unpleasant rain, the canal rang with raindrops, almost musical, and the swans at Bentley Mill Way didn’t seem to mind.

Hope it’s a bit drier tomorrow.

May 8th – Another great ride of fifty miles – really getting back into the swing of it now. I set out into a surprisingly strong easterly wind on a very warm afternoon indeed. Cake at Fradley, then over to Alrewas, Catton and Walton; back over the Meccano bridge to Barton, Dunstable, Scotch Hills and Far Hoar Cross. Returning home through Morrey, Kings Bromley, Hanch and Chorley.

It’s hard not to love a ride that includes bluebells, a smiling boat, a warning of sluggish amphibians and all the songbirds.

An excellent ride. I’ve so been missing this.

May 7th – I set out late afternoon expecting limited showers – and to be fair, that was all I got. Heading to Middleton for cake and tea, there was an absolute deluge while I was in the coffee shop, but 15 minutes later it had ceased, and in a fairly lengthy tour of north Warwickshire’s border country, including Lea Marston, Hurley, Woodend and Dordon. I returned via Polesworth, Alvecote and Tamworth, and only tangled with the rain through Tamworth.

I watched a thunderstorm over north Birmingham from a safe, bright and dry hillside near Dorado, and appeared to miss all the weather-excitement at home.

So nice to see the old school in Polesworth has been restored and now back in use – although I’m not sure what as.

A great, enjoyable 55 mile ride.

May 6th -Not far away, but still on the Goscote Valley cycleway, the dead nettles are doing well. These fellows have no sting, and can be touched freely. They hold a sweet, tasty secret.

The blooms can be plucked from the plant, and the small neck of the bloom sucked for the nectar it contains, which is sweet and tasty.

May 6th – Spinning home from work down the Goscote Valley cycleway, I noticed new additions to the palette of flowers this year – primroses and forget-me-nots. Not remarkable flowers in themselves, but new arrivals in this location, which can only be a good thing.

Great to see nature thriving along the old rail line like this.

May 5th – This one has me a bit puzzled, and makes me realise how little I know about swan behaviour. This lone swan is on the decaying nest left in the disused basin by Cashmores works just off the Walsall Canal at Pleck. This nest successfully incubated and hatched at least four cygnets last season to a pair who I think are now nesting up at Bentley Bridge. The nest here is very secure from most predators – well out on the water, and humans can’t get there as it’s almost totally fenced off. 

The one thing it’s not secure from is herons, and I’m fairly sure a heron took a couple of newly hatched cygnets here last year, which may explain the pair not using this site again.

Occasionally, a single swan sits this rotting nest. I have no idea why. She – I’m assuming it’s a she – was there this evening, and seemed quite content, but there was no sign of a partner at all, and no sign of nest maintenance.

I do wonder what’s going on here.