September 15th – It was an intemperate commute, the traffic was mad and the weather highly changeable, derring between azure blue skies and sudden, hectoring bursts of rain.
On the canal in central Walsall, there was little to indicate autumn here in green nowhere, with just blue skies, verdant foliage and mirror-like water. Only the saturated towpath spoke of the untrustworthy weather.
September 14th – Also prolific at the moment are the squirrels, who are eating for winter. Near the Watermead estate on the towpath by the hazel hedge, the way is littered with expertly nibbled shells, harvested for their fatty, milky goodness by the grey, furry nut-bandits.
There’s a real feeling at the moment of nature preparing to shut down for winter.
September 9th – Great sunsets right now, but rarely in a position to catch them. Cresting the Black Cock Bridge in a glorious golden hour, I couldn’t help but notice how wonderful the sky was.
Autumn is really on my heels now.
September 8th – It’s nice to see the fungi coming through now – I love this feature of autumn. Many folk don’t realise, but toadstools, balls and polypores are just the bloom of much larger organisms living out of sight. They really are unlike anything else in nature.
This roll-rim was growing on a grass verge in Wednesbury and was about eight inches in diameter. They start flat and become funnel-shaped as they age: it was a misty, wet morning and this one was gathering condensation well.
September 7th – I passed them in Coulter Lane, realised what they were, and did an about turn. There were two Gloucester sows in the paddock, with lots of cute little piglets. They were a fair way away, and this is the best shot I could get.
Such clean looking animals in apparently excellent condition.
September 3rd – Further on, and caught in a very grey moment, the heather near Newtown in Brownhills is stunning this year. A sea of speckled purple, it’s actually far more vibrant than this image shows.
Well worth a walk or ride along the canal to sea.
September 2nd – Like most people, I’m holding out for an Indian summer, but as I made my way home on Wednesday, it seemed the chance was slim. Caught by two very localised, heavy downpours, I was soaked by the second after having escaped the first by stating it out in an archway in Pleck.
It’s gone cold, too. Summer, come back!
September 1st – And when I say frenetic, I mean frenetic. Look at this junk shop. Does he get all that stuff back in at night? That’s astounding.
August 26th – I think I was a bit previous on the acorn thing.
I think acorns affected by galls fruit sooner. Perhaps there’s a naturally selective advantage in this. It’s fascinating me.
In the last couple of weeks, a huge crop of acorns has developed, even on the blighted trees. They came later than the acorn galls, and are plump and where unaffected, a great looking crop.
I’d say now less than 5% are galls.
Is there a guide or information anywhere about this? It’s fascinating me.
August 20th – Much as I hate the current fad for obsessively mowing the canal towpaths, I quite like that they seem to be leaving the reed beds alone for now (although I don’t doubt they’ll be next).
Here near the Pelsall Road in Brownhills, they are little oases of disparate species, havens for insects and other wildlife.
And they just look really, really good.
Do we have to keep cutting everything back? Put the mowers away!
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