A Feathered Companion

A beautiful day in the West Midlands.  I started out at sunrise for a walk along the canal network and ended up covering 16 miles in about 6 hours.  It was a great day to be out and in the main it was flat walking.  In fact I walked over 9 miles of canal towpath without seeing a single lock.

Walking gives you time to think, but my mind went to the engineers and navvies that built these canals.  The incredible engineering that allowed over 9 miles of canal to be constructed with a consistent water level along its whole length.  When I came off the towpath I was less that 4 miles from home so it just shows how they used the lands contours to reduce the need to change levels.

This heron was quite tolerant of my presence, allowing me to take plenty of photographs and then following me up a section of canal.  It was reminiscent of the way a robin seems to follow you while you walk.  In the end it was in front of me as someone came down the towpath causing it to fly across the canal to safety.  I was just frustrated i didn't get the whole of its reflection in the frame.

I've added an extra from earlier in the day as the colours of the sky and trees along the waterside were so vibrant.