Canal Wildlife

[Captain Pegg]

While out cruising I keep a log of the day's events and timings. One of the things I include is details of sightings of canal specific wildlife. During the past year I have cruised for 250 hours on 35 separate days covering 440 miles and 582 locks. My notable wildlife sightings have been 65 herons, 17 kingfishers, 6 cormorants, 2 oystercatchers, 1 vole and 1 otter. The latter were the first wild examples I had ever seen of these animals.

 

Herons are predominantly urban birds these days. The majority of the sightings were on the BCN and probably include the same bird seen on different days as I have travelled between Birmingham and Dudley Port on numerous occasions and can easily see five or more during that trip.

 

Kingfishers are prevalent on the Severn and Avon and on the canals I have seen numerous on the stretches from Tardebigge to Wast Hills and Shirley to Hockley Heath. The most surprising one was on the Dudley No 2 canal between Windmill End and Gosty Hill. That's also where I saw a vole looking very much more at home swimming than it did walking.

 

The otter was one that is part of a family that live in the reed beds at Coney Meadow near Droitwich.

 

The sea birds were seen on the Severn and Avon with the exception of the two cormorants that were resident at Smethwick Engine House in the spring. Dave_P started a thread about those.

 

Other sightings have included a fox and a tawny owl. ?

 

JP

Edited December 7, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[Naughty Cal]

The wildlife highlights of our year were Crane on the Norfolk Broads and dolphins off Lowestoft.

[Captain Pegg]

The wildlife highlights of our year were Crane on the Norfolk Broads and dolphins off Lowestoft.

I think the last time I saw a Crane was in the Netherlands about 20 years ago. Perhaps I should look up more. Aren't they a couple of rungs up the evolutionary ladder from a Heron?

 

To see dolphins must be great but not to be outdone by the sea goers you can also see them at Old Turn Junction in the middle of Brum.

 

JP

[Martin Megson]

Seeing the wildlife is one of the highlights of canal cruising for me.

[Jess--]

Lots of voles on the north oxford between rose narrowboats and hawkesbury last spring, also 5 terrapins on the ashby at the same time.

[Naughty Cal]

I think the last time I saw a Crane was in the Netherlands about 20 years ago. Perhaps I should look up more. Aren't they a couple of rungs up the evolutionary ladder from a Heron?

 

To see dolphins must be great but not to be outdone by the sea goers you can also see them at Old Turn Junction in the middle of Brum.

 

JP

It is a great experience. It is all too easy to get blase about how lucky we are to see the wildlife we do.

 

Seeing seals is pretty much the norm for us, so much so that we don't see it as out of the ordinary anymore!

[8 Hairy Feet]

Saw 2 beautiful Roe deer at Rochdale summit a couple

of years ago , they came down to drink from

the offside so really close. Coming form the inner city

I find it magical.

[Dave Payne]

I saw a bird on the cov between hawkesbury and bedworth a few weeks ago, like a parrot but without the fancy feathers and colours, grey I think, quite thin and tall.

[Alan de Enfield]

Last Summer, (on the FossDyke) we passed :

 

7 Deer

3 Badgers

2 Hares

Numerous unidentified 'animals'

 

All were deceased and floating / bloated.

[WotEver]

I saw a bird on the cov between hawkesbury and bedworth a few weeks ago, like a parrot but without the fancy feathers and colours, grey I think, quite thin and tall.

Woodpecker?

[Dave Payne]

Woodpecker?

Nope, same body but small beak and no colours.

[Naughty Cal]

Last Summer, (on the FossDyke) we passed :

 

7 Deer

3 Badgers

2 Hares

Numerous unidentified 'animals'

 

All were deceased and floating / bloated.

Yes. Someone forgot to tell the deer where the deer ramps are that BW put in

 

We have seen a couple swimming by the Pyewipe that have had lucky escapes when the boat has herded them towards sections where there are a couple of pilings missing so they can clamber back out.

 

Several years ago we witnessed a large stag swimming across the tidal Ouse below Goole. He got out the other side and trotted off. Got a picture somewhere, I will try and dig it out.

[Captain Pegg]

Last Summer, (on the FossDyke) we passed :

 

7 Deer

3 Badgers

2 Hares

Numerous unidentified 'animals'

 

All were deceased and floating / bloated.

You have almost as much chance of seeing a Gruffalo as a live badger. I reckon I must have seen about a thousand badgers in my lifetime and 998 of them were dead.

 

I once caught a glimpse of one from an early morning train but a couple of years ago I set off early from Napton bottom lock after an overnight stop and noticed the back of an animal running ahead of the boat on the towpath and it dived off through a gap in the hedge. At first a thought it was a dog off the lead but from the size, the way it ran and the actions it had to be a badger. I couldn't see the markings on the head as it was slightly in front and with the head bent low.

 

I even once obtained a special licence to net a railway embankment and set up one way traps to exclude badgers from their sett before grouting it up. We still didn't actually find one despite the confirmation from the environmental officer there were signs of recent activity.

 

Moles are another animal it is apparently hard to see alive. I never have.

 

Also I don't think foxes are as common as they were 20 years ago. I used to see lots but I used to work nights outside so maybe I just don't get out enough these days.

 

JP

 

I saw a bird on the cov between hawkesbury and bedworth a few weeks ago, like a parrot but without the fancy feathers and colours, grey I think, quite thin and tall.

A tall, thin grey bird on a canal bank?

 

Heron, surely.

 

Similarities with a parrot include two legs, feathers, wings and a beak. Close enough.

 

JP

Edited December 7, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[WotEver]

Nope, same body but small beak and no colours.

Perhaps it's something that shouldn't be in these waters

[Alan de Enfield]

You have almost as much chance of seeing a Gruffalo as a live badger. I reckon I must have seen about a thousand badgers in my lifetime and 998 of them were dead.

 

 

 

When we had the farm (before we sold up) we had a Badger Sett on our land, it was interesting to put nuts out for them, and then watch them under a 'red' spotlight (they cannot see colour red)

It was a very active Sett and we would, most nights, have 20+

 

Don't get me started on the 'Tree-Huggers' / Badger protection league who would break down our fences and 'trespass en-masse' virtually every week to ensure that we were not 'digging them'.

Foxes actually used to 'share' some of the older parts of the sett - I shot 12 of them over the course of a couple of months.

 

To bring it back on topic :

 

Our land incorporated the old 'Ffrwd canal' and the sett was in the old mine spoil heap.

[Jess--]

Where I used to live there was a good spot for watching wildlife, I used to go over in the evening and fly a RC plane until batteries died then used to sit on a disused railway embankment and watch for an hour or so while the light faded.

 

normal sights were...

rabbits (100s)

hares (half dozen)

family of foxes

2 families of badgers

family of swans

several families of moorhens

pair of green woodpeckers

1 kingfisher

mixture of barn and little owls

adders (although you had to look for them)

 

all of the area where these used to live is now a very big hole in the ground (new marina by Onley).

[WotEver]

 

Foxes actually used to 'share' some of the older parts of the sett - I shot 12 of them over the course of a couple of months.

The farmer who owns the farm where our business is based prohibits the shooting of foxes as they keep the bunny population down. It's an arable farm with no livestock other than bullocks.

[Alan de Enfield]

The farmer who owns the farm where our business is based prohibits the shooting of foxes as they keep the bunny population down. It's an arable farm with no livestock other than bullocks.

 

We had a nice flock of hens - around 25 - one night the fox got in and killed everyone - it did not take them to eat, they just bite of their heads and leave them. 'Townies' think that Foxes kill to eat but that is far, far away from the truth.

 

(Shooting (or ferreting) rabbits is a handy source of 'pocket money' at £1.50 each from the local Butcher).

[Dave_P]

I think the last time I saw a Crane was in the Netherlands about 20 years ago. Perhaps I should look up more. Aren't they a couple of rungs up the evolutionary ladder from a Heron?

 

To see dolphins must be great but not to be outdone by the sea goers you can also see them at Old Turn Junction in the middle of Brum.

 

JP

You'll often see Cranes on the G&S near to where they've been introduced at Slimbridge. Huge things!

[Sea Dog]

My missus put up a new bird feeder in our garden last week. We live in woodland next to a river so we're blessed with a great variety of bird and wildlife, but the first birds to visit were a pair of parrots of some kind - one green, one blue!

[Dave_P]

Nope, same body but small beak and no colours.

Cuckoo?

[PaulG]

Cuckoo?

yes, I think he probably is...

[Dave_P]

You have almost as much chance of seeing a Gruffalo as a live badger. I reckon I must have seen about a thousand badgers in my lifetime and 998 of them were dead.

 

I once caught a glimpse of one from an early morning train but a couple of years ago I set off early from Napton bottom lock after an overnight stop and noticed the back of an animal running ahead of the boat on the towpath and it dived off through a gap in the hedge. At first a thought it was a dog off the lead but from the size, the way it ran and the actions it had to be a badger. I couldn't see the markings on the head as it was slightly in front and with the head bent low.

 

I even once obtained a special licence to net a railway embankment and set up one way traps to exclude badgers from their sett before grouting it up. We still didn't actually find one despite the confirmation from the environmental officer there were signs of recent activity.

 

Moles are another animal it is apparently hard to see alive. I never have.

 

Also I don't think foxes are as common as they were 20 years ago. I used to see lots but I used to work nights outside so maybe I just don't get out enough these days.

 

JP

 

 

A tall, thin grey bird on a canal bank?

 

Heron, surely.

 

Similarities with a parrot include two legs, feathers, wings and a beak. Close enough.

 

JP

I've seen plenty of badgers in my time. I've lived in three houses where we had them in the garden. I also used to take kids badger watching as part of a former job. Seen a fair few moles too, mostly from my time as a farm worker. I'm not sure about declining foxes. Growing up in London, they were everywhere but I don't live in London now so it's hard to compare.

 

If you really want to see badgers: find an active sett, with signs of recent digging. wait until late spring when they're very active. Go up to the sett at around mid-day and bait the areas around the entrance to the sett with peanut butter sandwiches and chocolate cake. Leave. Return about an hour before dusk. Wear dark colours and soft fabrics. Take a drink and some soft food (no noise) Sit downwind of the sett at least 50 yards away. Make yourself comfy. Be silent. If you're lucky, you'll see badgers. If not you'll still have the magical experience of a woodland changing from day to night.

[Dave_P]

My missus put up a new bird feeder in our garden last week. We live in woodland next to a river so we're blessed with a great variety of bird and wildlife, but the first birds to visit were a pair of parrots of some kind - one green, one blue!

Parakeets are now perhaps the most common birds in parts of the south east. Jimi Hendrix is to blame if the urban myth is true.

[Alan de Enfield]

My missus put up a new bird feeder in our garden last week. We live in woodland next to a river so we're blessed with a great variety of bird and wildlife, but the first birds to visit were a pair of parrots of some kind - one green, one blue!

 

Did it have 'lovely plumage ?'

Was it from Norway ?

Did it look a 'bit poorly?'

Edited December 7, 2016 by Alan de Enfield