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Canal Wildlife


Captain Pegg

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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).

I grew up in London. I've lived in some very rural places in Kent, Surrey, Devon, Shropshire and Staffordshire and slap-bang in the centre of a city. I've seen more foxes in cities than in any countryside. I've kept chickens in the countryside and I've kept Chickens in the city. I've had a fox hunt charge through my back garden, causing considerable damage. I've never lost a chicken to a fox, but then my hen houses were extremely fox proof, If I did lose my hens, I'd take the blame, rather blaming the fox.

 

Am I a townie?

 

Edit: not wanting to stray too far off topic.

Edited by Dave_P
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On "our" marina as well as Mallard, Coots, Moorhen we have Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, which breed each year. Also in the environs of the marina I have spotted: Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Wood Pecker, Gold Finch, Sparrow Hawk.

 

Occasionally from Upper Heyford we get the odd Chinook.

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On "our" marina as well as Mallard, Coots, Moorhen we have Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, which breed each year. Also in the environs of the marina I have spotted: Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Wood Pecker, Gold Finch, Sparrow Hawk.

A complete fleet of ABC hire boats there.

 

I have noticed that moorhens and coots tend not to appear in the same place both in large numbers. I have cruised for days without seeing a coot whereas moorhens are pretty much everywhere. Coots appear to be better adapted for altitude as there are loads of them on the Wolverhampton level of the BCN; particularly the lesser used bits like the Wyrley & Essington. That's the only place I have seen them outnumber moorhens.

 

JP

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Do you think foxes kill to eat, or, kill for 'fun' ?

Clearly they do both.

 

Well, whether the killing frenzy could accurately be described 'fun' is debatable of course, I'm not an animal psychologist.

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Do you think foxes kill to eat, or, kill for 'fun' ?

I suspect it depends on how hungry the fox is. I also suspect the concept of 'fun' can't be applied to foxes. They act on instinct. Their instincts must be pretty good, since they're pretty successful as a species. Judging animals according to human emotions and values seems like a rather odd and reductive thing to do.

 

I own a cat, like many other cats, she kills out of instinct rather than hunger. I'd prefer it if she wasn't hunted by hounds, horses and humans though. Luckily for her, she only kills other animals which humans have chosen to label as vermin so she's safe. The fox's crime is to also kill animals which humans have placed a value on. Is that the fox's fault or ours?

 

Finally, a well observed facet of fox behaviour, is to kill an entire group of prey (eg chooks) and then spend some time diligently carrying each one to a safe place to keep for eating later. Often, the fox is prevented from carrying out this behaviour by humans, which probably leads to them having to go hunting again sooner.

 

Am I a Townie?

Edited by Dave_P
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I think we've seen a fox on that bit of green land just north west of the Coseley tunnel. It was a while back but in the daytime.

 

I always reckon its a good day if I've seen a kingfisher. Saw one the other weekend while walking along the towpath in the middle of Northampton.

 

Wildlife highspot for us was moored on the summit section of the L & L, looking down on a barn owl quartering the area below in the twilight.

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I think we've seen a fox on that bit of green land just north west of the Coseley tunnel. It was a while back but in the daytime.

 

I always reckon its a good day if I've seen a kingfisher. Saw one the other weekend while walking along the towpath in the middle of Northampton.

 

Wildlife highspot for us was moored on the summit section of the L & L, looking down on a barn owl quartering the area below in the twilight.

The only real fox I have seen all year was at Willingsworth on the Walsall Canal at dawn while on the BCN Challenge but that wasn't really the answer I was after.

 

My highlight was the otter and it is always good to spot the blue flash of a kingfisher. Owls often heard but rarely seen.

 

JP

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3 kingfishers seen coming back from Longwood yesterday, 2 on the mile pound below the top 2 locks, one on the long pound above Perry Barr bottom 2 locks. No boats so the water is crystal clear, you can easily see the bottom in the middle, and the fish must be sitting ducks.

 

Best wildlife was probably the little grebe / dabchick on the Bradley arm, swimming along under water past the boat at high speed and again totally visible due to the crystal clear water. We seem to see more wildlife on the BCN than in the country.

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A shame to see the decline of water Voles in the cut. There were quite a lot in the cut when I was a kid, but they have reduced significantly. It has been suggested that Mink have done for them. Can't remember seeing one in recent years.

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3 kingfishers seen coming back from Longwood yesterday, 2 on the mile pound below the top 2 locks, one on the long pound above Perry Barr bottom 2 locks. No boats so the water is crystal clear, you can easily see the bottom in the middle, and the fish must be sitting ducks.

Best wildlife was probably the little grebe / dabchick on the Bradley arm, swimming along under water past the boat at high speed and again totally visible due to the crystal clear water. We seem to see more wildlife on the BCN than in the country.

What was the bottom of canal like where the water was clear?

 

I used to think it was simply a lack of boats that caused this but the water was clear in August between Factory Junction and Tipton Green and there are lots of boat movements there. What I do notice is that where the water is clear the bottom is covered in greenery and that doesn't seem to be the norm when canals are drained. So is it a biological phenomenon and are the sections with clear water lined with a clay puddle?

 

I must admit I thought it was pretty much only sections on the Wolverhampton level that had clear water until you mentioned Perry Barr.

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
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What was the bottom of canal like where the water was clear?

I used to think it was simply a lack of boats that caused this but the water was clear in August between Factory Junction and Tipton Green and there are lots of boat movements there. What I do notice is that where the water is clear the bottom is covered in greenery and that doesn't seem to be the norm when canals are drained. So is it a biological phenomenon and are the sections with clear water lined with a clay puddle?

I must admit I thought it was pretty much only sections on the Wolverhampton level that had clear water until you mentioned Perry Barr.

JP

Not really sure how I'd tell what the bottom was like, but just visible rubbish and not much greenery. It wasn't clear after we'd passed though and I hadn't noticed it being very clear when we've been along there in the summer, so I think it's just the lack of boat movement allows all the silt to settle. It was exceptionally clear though, clearer than the bits of the new/old mainline that you mention. You could stand on the bank on the bits without too much glare eg under the bridge just before the second lock up on PB, look diagonally across the pound and see the metallic debris on the bottom near the far bank (that I got stuck on during the BCN challenge 2014 when the pound was low).

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May not see as many rabbits about next year. There is another virus killing them within hours of infection VHD2. Wild rabbits have been found dead in fields in Derbyshire. Domestic rabbits owners are finding their pets dying overnight having displayed no symptoms the previous evening, one rescue charity lost 25 in one night There is a vaccine newly arrived in this country , unfortunately this won't help the wild rabbit population . Bunny

Edited by Bunny
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A shame to see the decline of water Voles in the cut. There were quite a lot in the cut when I was a kid, but they have reduced significantly. It has been suggested that Mink have done for them. Can't remember seeing one in recent years.

We saw one swimming during our travels this late summer - I don't recall the last time I saw one before that. Edited by Athy
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