Mon again

So possibly a short entry as it is already well past 11:00pm and I am looking forward to my bed. I thought I should come back and put something down as I have not existed in a vacuum over the last week or so since my last post. I have begun as I have mentioned before an upgrade of the site and if you are seeing this sometime in the future it may well have happened. Nothing much will change in the next few weeks but I do need to add in the pictures I have taken over the last few months.

I have started to spend more time on the Rushall Canal which runs not far from where I live and is easy to get to.

This time of year the cut is full of life and colour. I have been lucky enough to see Rudd, Perch Dace and Big Carp along with Pike in the water over the last week.

It does provide a good walk and it means I can get to Walsall Arboretum quite easily. Over the last week or so I have been able to see a range of birds including Common Tern ( who are currently breeding, 3 chicks, at RSPB Sandwell Valley) I got a couple of shots of a pair fishing along the canal on Saturday. This is the best of a bad lot.

I am however quite pleased with the pictures I took of Moorhen chicks. I assume they are second broods. Currently these are my favourites each showing small fluffy balls exploring the big wide world.

I t is definitely bed time now so good night.

second in July

Back again to write something. This is the second post in just over a week. I have been struggling to actually write some things down. OK so the world Cup has been on and I am sure I have come up with lots of excuses. I am still taking pictures. The website has sat for a while without addition. I am working on some changes / upgrades (that may be far too strong a word for it ). Anyway Vertrouge will have some new pictures and some new categories soon. we are back off to Scotland at the beginning of August so I hope to have done something by then.

So what has happened in the last week since my last post. Well I have been to work and we have had the weekend. The weather has held up.. well until today when the rain has returned. I have carried on with my walks up and down the River Severn around the English Bridge in Shrewsbury. A pair of swans has managed to raise so far a brood of seven cygnets who are growing well

They seem to spend most of their time when I am in the vicinity on the far bank or in mid stream. a couple of days ago they were lured across by the promise of bread and I got a couple of pictures. This is my favourite.

On the same day I saw a family group of goosander floating by. They stayed in the stretch for a couple of days before heading on, downstream I assume. There is something about the shape of their heads and the way they move that reminds me of the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park.

Yesterday I went for a walk along the canal that runs near where I live in walsall. I came across a couple of very young moorhen chicks and got a couple of pictures that I am quite pleased with.

As you can see from the first one the chicks were very small, this one looking as though it never wanted to get into the water again. After a while it had found a sibling and was being "fed" by the adult.

OK that is enough for now

Until next time

Onward

So I have been somewhat remiss writing in the blog for some weeks I remember doing something in May, but I have not even checked for a while. Not much has changed life has wandered on. I am still working in Shrewsbury and living in Walsall. the patterns of my life have not changed, maybe that has something to with the lack of writing in the blog.

Well it is now July and spring has definitely transformed into summer. This is my favourite summer picture so far. It was taken just upstream of the English Bridge in Shrewsbury on the River Severn.

I just like the colours and coolness of the water on a hot day.


The River Severn in Shrewsbury has provided my main source and I am developing my flotsam and Jetsam motif. I saw this Sainsburys carrier floating downstream as a bright amoeba drawing in all around it.

For those who have survived my musings for some time you will remember my love of Teasels. Well slowly this years batch is growing and coming into "flower".

Here is one of my favourites of the crop this year so far. You can just see the beginnings of the purple around head.

So I will try and be more regular with this

Time for bed