heron

The Wyke

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Monday 8th November 1999
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the Wykeand Hartley Bank wood
A FLOCK of 60 or 70 Canada Geese have gathered on the Wyke, a marshy field between the River Calder and the canal. On the ridge of Hartley Bank beyond the birches are in ochre autumn leaf.

. . . geese. . .. . . geese. . .. . . geese. . .. . . geese. . .. . . geese. . .. . . geese. . . A large domestic goose seems to be at the top of the pecking order amongst the Canadas.

heroncormorant Two Herons stand in the open water. Black-headed Gulls and a Cormorant fly overhead. On the river a Dabchick is diving. During several minutes it appears above water for no more than three seconds. Three Mallards keep to the cover of the bankside vegetation.

fig On the steep south-facing bank of the river, there's a Fig bush, still holding on to its leaves, but with no fruit visible. It's quite a rarity - I know of only one other, below the Chantry Bridge in Wakefield. This one has been growing here for at least thirty years.

It may have germinated from a seed washed down from a sewage outlet at a time when the river was so polluted by industrial and domestic effluent that it provided enough warmth for germination.

'Wyke' is an Anglo Saxon name for a farm, particularly a dairy farm.

Richard Bell
Richard Bell,
wildlife illustrator
E-mail; 'richard@daelnet.co.uk'

  
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