End of the road

This is the last post for my Birmingham Diary. At the beginning of the year, I set myself a challenge - to follow in Edith Holden's footsteps and study the wild creatures and plants that inhabit the places in Birmingham where I worked and stayed.  Edith walked through farmland and villages. 110 years later, I explored the areas around the airport, the NEC, offices and hotels. 

Canada geese gliding past Brindley Place

I found that writing my diary gave me the motivation to get out and explore. Instead of languishing at home in a draw, my camera and drawing materials were with me. 

The bright lights of Brindley Place/

Flowering Plants

To end her diary, Edith listed the flowering plants including trees that she found in the Olton area. She recorded 214 types compared to my rather less diligent 80.  Edith and I both found bluebells, although she called them hyacinths.


Bluebells near the NEC halls.

I found some flowers that were not on Edith's list - for example a friend sent her bee orchids whereas I found some just outside the office.

Bee orchids at Trinity Park.

I found some flowers that were new to me such as the dainty field pansy, the rather insignificant blue fleabane and the downright weird common cudweed.



Field pansy on a pile of rubble next to a Trinity Park car park.

Birds

Edith also listed the birds that she saw -  a total of  76 whereas I found 36.  Edith's list included both Song and Missel Thrushes. I found these too, there were Song Thrushes by the railway line near Birmingham International and, much more surprising, a pair of Missel Thrushes in the little garden tucked away behind Birmingham's new library. Edith's list included House Martins, which 110 years later were busily feeding their young in the nests that they had built under the eves of the Arden Hotel, where I often stayed.

Young House Martins leaving the nest.

My list included many more seabirds than Edith's, presumably attracted by the large Pendigo lake near the NEC. Species that I had not seen before included Common Tern and Reed Bunting.

I was thrilled to see a common tern swooping in front of Resort World.

Insects

Bug hunts were a little tricky because I didn't have my macro lens with me and I was only free to explore before and after work. However I did see a number of different types of bees, hoverflies, dragon and damselflies and butterflies. I even rescued a Yellow-underwing moth from a hotel bar.



Azure Damselfly near Trinity Park pond.

Mammals

The area round the offices, Birmingham International station and NEC was heaving with rabbits. I also saw squirrels and some disturbingly bold rats.  There was a notable absence of foxes.



Rabbits amongst the NEC daffodils.

Looking back, it's difficult to pick out the what I enjoyed most but I think it was using a bat detector to hunt for bats. I detected and watched Common Pipistrelles hunting across the Pendigo Lake.  It was not only finding and watching the bats but the encounter various people including two young men headed towards the nearest bar, who were interested in the detector and told me all their wildlife adventures.



Hunting for bats at sundown.

So that's it folks. I had a great time finding wildlife in unlikely places and will go on exploring my surroundings wherever my work takes me.

... past the Floozie, then turn right

In the Autumn of 2015, I started staying in the centre of Birmingham. This started because hotels near the office were full. However, I found the centre with its canals and civic buildings - new and old very much worth exploring and so started staying in the centre quite often.

Postcard of Birmingham, Municipal Buildings and Art Gallery, posted in 1908.

This postcard, from my Dad's old collection, was posted in 1908. It shows the Municipal Buildings and Art Gallery. When emerging from the rather bewildering new Birmingham New Street station, that tower was a welcome sight. Walking towards it would set me on the right road for my hotel.

Ina Taylor's biography of Edith Holden tells us that in 1869:

When Edith was only two, her father was elected to the Town Council, a great honour for someone newly arrived in the town. ...

Arthur Holden's period of service on the Town Council must have been an interesting one; he was working with Joseph Chamberlain during the third term of office as Mayor of Birmingham. ... Joseph Chamberlain and Arthur Holden were members of the Gas Committee during this time."

There must have been times when the area in which Arthur carried out his duties was a building site. Wikipedia tells us that the Municipal buildings shown in the postcard were started ...

... in 1874 when the first stone was laid by the then mayor Joseph Chamberlain. 

The Birmingham Museums blog tells us:

... in 1885 an extension was added. This part of the building, although now known as the Water Hall, was originally used to house offices for the Birmingham Gas Corporation. In 1912 when the Museum Bridge Gallery extension was built it became the Water Hall and remained in use until 1972. For the city’s population it provided an impressive ground floor banking hall for Birmingham Corporation’s public water supply, with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on the first floor above.

The Council House with Christmas greeting, 2015

My modern photo shows the Municipal Buildings towering above Birmingham's Christmas Market.

The Floozie aka The River, October 2015.

One day, when asking for directions to the station, a local pointed and told me to "Go that way, past the Floozie, then turn right."

The official name for the Floozie is "The River". The Birmingham News tells us that was unveiled in 1993 and sat in a fountain with a cascade, which led to her being nick named the "Floozie in the Jacuzzi". Sadly the fountain leaked and the Jacuzzi was converted to a garden.  There is talk of restoring the fountain but people have become attached to the attractive garden.

Cold North West wind ...

As November 2006 drew to a close, Edith noted that ...

The first sharp white frost we have had, cold North West wind with showers of hail and rain.

The weather at the end of November 2015 was much more pleasant but nevertheless the year was drawing to a close.  On the 26th of November, I visited Birmingham's Christmas market.

First, a wander through the stalls and amusements in Victoria Square ...

A moonlit scene

 

larger than life decorations

Then, I headed towards Centenary Square and explored the craft stalls.

Craft stalls



Close to this jolly scene, the Hall of Remembrance that I mentioned in my previous post, provided a quiet oasis amongst the lights and bustle.

Hall of Remembrance and big wheel.

It was here that I made a slight miscalculation. The only big wheel that I've been on before is the enormous but sedate London Eye. So I handed over my money and hopped casually into one of the gondolas. Before I knew it, I was rising above Birmingham at a considerable pace. The wheel spun merrily around while I clung to the side looking out over the city.

Faster than it looks!

After staggering off, giggling with the people from the next gondola, I walked past the ice rink.

ice rink

It was so mild last year that many places had trouble keeping their ice rinks sufficiently cold.

Between the crosses, row on row

This week, it's my turn to quote a poem.

Wreathes and crosses at Birmingham's Hall of Memory - 4th November 2015

The lines:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

 Between the crosses, row on row ...

... are from Major John McCrae's famous poem In Flanders Fields.  The Royal British Legion's video explains the remembrance poppy's surprisingly international history.

In 1906, when Edith wrote her famous diary as a model for her pupils to follow, she would have no idea that just a few years later her pupils' brothers would be fighting in World War I.

On the day I travelled up from Sussex to the Birmingham office and later to New Street, I bought things from several poppy sellers:

• Uckfield - A veteran who stands outside our own little station from before 6 in the morning, whatever the weather, to catch the morning commuters.
• Victoria - One of those splendid middle-aged middle-class ladies who form the backbone of so many voluntary efforts.
• Euston - Two young people excited to be part of something bigger. The girl was so crestfallen when I bought a poppy from the lad, I had to get one from her too.
• Birmingham International - Young cadets, carefully selecting something different for my growing collection.
• Birmingham New Street - A group of Muslim lads, one of whom was following in his Dad's footsteps as a poppy seller.

 So many different sorts of people all brought together by one wonderful cause.



Birmingham Memorial Hall with the library behind.

Walking from New Street Station to the hotel, it is impossible to not to be impressed by the Hall of Memory in Centenary Square. It was opened in 1925 to commemorate the twelve thousand Birmingham citizens who died in the First World War.  The Birmingham Hall of Memory website tells us that there are three books commemorating those who gave their lives in:

• the First World War,
• the Second World War
• active service since 1945

Birmingham Hall of Memory - 2 of the figures representing the services.

The photo above shows two of the four figures that represent the services as described on the Imperial War Museums' web page about the Birmingham Hall of Memory.



Poppy and Birmingham's oldest tree.

There were also poppies fastened to the railings around Centenary Square.  According to the Birmingham mail, the tree is 140 years old and, sadly, may be removed to accommodate Midland Metro tram works. The article shows how the area would have looked in Edith's time. It shows small shops, which have long since been swept away by big hotels and other buildings.  It also shows slender trees, of which, only the Centenary Square plane survives.

The year lies dying in this evening light

In late October and early November 1906, Edith wrote relatively little about nature but more than made up for it with poetry. One of the poems, translated from German started ...

The year lies dying in this evening light ....

In the 21st Century we defy the seasons and the dark with bright lights and night life.  On the 4th of November, I cut through the Symphony Hall and over the bridge that crosses the New Mainline canal.


New Mainline Canal and Brindley Place - 4 November 2015

In the photo above, you can see part of Brindley Place, named for James Brindley, the canal pioneer.

New Mainline Canal looking towards Broad Street.

From the bridge, I could see down the canal towards Broad Street. If I went that way, I would find myself at Gas Street Basin, which I had visited previously. Wanting to see something new, I headed in the other direction.

The Malt House pub.

There was a bit of a bite in the air and the Malt House pub on the opposite side looked warm and inviting. I hovered indecisively unsure whether to continue my walk or cross the narrow arched bridges to the warmth of the pub.  Then I heard the jazz.  Over the bridges it was.

Turning into the Oozelles Stret Loop.

As I was crossing, I heard the unmistakable sound of a narrow boat and watched while its crew skilfully steered it round the junction between the New Mainline and the older Birmingham and Fazeley canal before disappearing into the Oozelles Street Loop.

Open Fire in the Malt House pub.

Then into the pub for an enjoyable meal of fish and chips in front of a traditional fire and the sound of live jazz music.

Back to Brindley Place.

After leaving the pub, I walked back along the canal and found another boat - this time moored at the canal side.

Central Square Fountains

I crossed the canal again, and made my way inland to Central Square in Brindley Place.  As I photographed the fountains, I noticed some trees with yellow leaves.



Trees - with "Autumn Fire"

At the end of October, Edith quoted William Allingham:

"Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods,
and day by day the dead leaves fall and melt,"

Fountains and Autumn leaves - not quite ready to fall and melt.

 

Covered in Red and Yellow Leaves

In her entry of 14th October 1906, Edith talks about going for a walk in Catherine de Barnes ...

Hips made a great display all along the route, especially on a wild piece of common land we crossed, covered with Gorse and briars. I noticed great numbers of Finches here, feeding on the berries. Some of the Gorse bushes were in flower, these with the bushes of scarlet Rose-berries, and trailing Blackberry briars, covered with red and yellow leaves, made fine patches of colour in the bright sunshine.

Exactly 109 years later, I spent an early hour exploring the rather more manicured surroundings of the NEC.

14 October 2015, Red Oak.

Red Oak and flags at the NEC.

The most spectacular colour comes from the foreign tree varieties planted amongst the NEC gardens.  The leaves of a Red Oak gave me a hint of the spectacular "Fall" that Americans enjoy.

Flags and maple leaves fluttering in the feeble breeze.

Although the flags were barely stirring in the early morning breeze, leaves from the maples beyond were already being blown away.

Native lakeside trees showing golden tones.

Looking back towards the lake, most of the native trees were still green, highlighted with subtle yellows and golds. Nearby a Great-Crested Grebe was dipping below the water and bobbing up to feed her well-grown youngster.

Resort World, Pendigo lake.

I spent a little more time at the lakeside and enjoyed seeing the ripples on the blue waters before going into work.

Horse of the Year Show

In 1906, when Edith Holden wrote her Country Diary, horses were working animals. In my Not far from a pond post for this blog, I mentioned Austin starting to make motor vehicles at the Longbridge plant but it would be many years before cars and tractors took the place of horse and ponies.  Although Edith's diary dealt with nature rather than farming, she included a delightful scene for February, in which a horse is being used to plough a field. These days, horses are mostly used for leisure and sport.

The British Show Jumping website tells us:
... a show jumping class was held in the first international horse show to be staged in England, at Olympia in 1907.

Me, at 12 years old and a young New Forest pony.

As a girl, I was obsessed with horses and ponies. I took riding lessons, read pony books and was thrilled by the exploits of Harvey Smith, David Broome and other show jumping stars.  I loved to watch horse of the year show on the TV and dreamed childhood dreams of being there.  Then I grew up, decided that driving was more practical than riding and left it all behind.



7 October 2016 - Show-jumping practice - speeding up.

On the 7th of October, 2015, both I and the Horse of the Year Show were both in Birmingham so I took a morning off and found my way into the sparse audience for the early morning show jumping practice session. It was absolutely thrilling to see several horses in the ring at the same time - being shown the jumps and, with a sudden burst of power, flying over.

7 October 2015 - Small Hack of the Year.

The exciting show jumping practice was followed by the dainty "Small Hack Showing". Riders, in elegant outfits with top hats, put their beautiful horses through their paces and somehow the judges picked a winner from these heavenly creatures.

7 October 2015 - Ponies greeting their adoring public.

The native breeds on show in the shopping area were more like the ponies that I patted and rode as a child. One was so friendly that it was difficult to photograph her - she kept snuffling my camera.  After tickling her ears for a few minutes, my attention turned to some young girls and their mum. They making friends with the ponies - just as I did when I was their age and still do today.