After several days of rain, waking up to clear blue skies and bright sunshine was a pleasant surprise. This was the perfect weather for a wildlife wander, and it wasn’t long before I was driving around the beautiful Somerset countryside, looking for somewhere suitable. I was finally tempted by a quiet stretch of the Grand Western Canal.

Canals are always a good place to look for wildlife, so with binoculars in hand, I set off. The sun was bright and warm, and if it hadn’t been for the rows of ripened blackberries or the yellow foliage on the nearby trees, it could have been mistaken for a spring day. As I wandered along the towpath, my footsteps crunching noisily on the loose gravel, I could hear the melancholy song of a robin, interspersed with the explosive calls of a wren.

A soft breeze stirred the reed beds, causing them to sway and rustle gently from side to side. Near the water’s edge, a common darter dragonfly was hunting. It darted rapidly to and fro before landing briefly on a reed stem and then taking to the air again. Then there was a short sharp whistle, followed by an iridescent flash of blue as a kingfisher flew past, keeping low to the water. This is often how one sees a kingfisher – a flash of blue light and it’s gone. Even so, it’s always a thrilling experience.

Canals are home to a wide variety of wildlife and are always well worth a visit.

L B LOXLEY