Artists and historians will be exploring the Tame and the area around, and the individual journeys through Witton and Perry Barr of residents past and present. There will be lots going on, including events, workshops, printed work and exhibitions for the whole community to get involved in.

Thursday 6 June 2013

Journey From Perry Bridges to Witton Bridge




A Heron spooked at Perry Bridge
And male and female Tufted Ducks
A rare mid stream gravel bar under the road bridge
The hum of Traffic
But plenty of birdsong
Cow parsley and dead nettles flowering
Two chaffinches bolt into the ivy on the wall
A cabbage or large white butterfly
Car-door-boulders try to create riffles
As the river is poor in riffle and pool sequences
A rabbit!
Then an orange tip butterfly is joined by a mate
herb robert and mustards
Meadow buttercups adjacent to a dormant inflow pipe
Blue flowering plants, maybe green alkanet
Teasel then broom
A thrush
Ragwort and huge plantain under grey willows
Water slaters (isopods), small leeches - Erpobdella testacea(?)
And a flatworm(?) like white wiggling snot
Plus huge amounts of Freshwater shrimps (amphipod gammarids) that
signify clean water,
Are found under stones and half-bricks
- On a point bar as the river bends to touch the M6 on the opposite bank
A buzzard flies out only a few yards away over the river
Another Heron
And Jackdaws over the oaks in the green triangle before Tameside drive
The opposite bank is wild and ruderal.
The straight glides break into welcome braided low-water glitter patterns
In the wake of spring weed growth
Spanish bluebells, oaks, poplars and a rabbit are seen in the woodland triangle.
Tameside Drive is manicured and overly prohibitive
Do we risk certain death by walking on a flat level lawned gabion?
Should they put these signs on canal locks?
A water feature on grounds opposite the river. Isn't the river a
forgotten water feature?
A pied wagtail bobs
Over railing and signage overkill.
The noise of corporate graffiti continues through to Brookvale
With the roars of traffic and dust
Whilst a moorhen goes about its business on the opposite bank
Through the stream-litter.

By Rob Colbourne

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