I am 68 now and back in 1969 ish I used to fish a lot in Sutton park in Sutton Coldfield. There were several pools in the park and one of them called Bracebridge which has featured in several TV series and films used to have a boathouse where you could hire out punts to go fishing. My mate went earlier than I did because I used to deliver groceries in the morning on a Granville style bike and when I got there he was already out on a punt at the top end of the lake. (no life jackets in those days) SO I shouted and after attracting his attention he started rowing back to the boathouse. While I was waiting about 25 / 30 yards out near to the bank that was covered in rushes a full grown male mallard started squarking very loudly and as I watched WIDE EYED started going backwards across the water and unfortunately downwards and never came back up. I stood there expecting it to surface any moment but it did not. Suprisingly my mate one Ian Carter didnt believe my story. HOWEVER TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER SOMEONE CAUGHT A 29 POUND PIKE FROM THE EXCACT SAME SPOT which made the local news papers. A vision that has stayed with me ever since. Sadly the boat house and the old park keeper that looked after the punts have long since gone. Revenue from punts was probably in total £10.00 a week and his wages £10.00 and he spent most of his time in front of the pot bellied stove so its amazing it survived as long as it did up to the 1980's possibly. Similarly on the next pool down the water line which was Blackroot had lots of rowing boats or canoes for hire and I do remember when I was very young a motor launch doing pleasure trips and that also has long since gone. VERY HAPPY DAYS.
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Amazing
Thanks for that im going there in a few wks time fishing
I am 68 now and back in 1969 ish I used to fish a lot in Sutton park in Sutton Coldfield. There were several pools in the park and one of them called Bracebridge which has featured in several TV series and films used to have a boathouse where you could hire out punts to go fishing. My mate went earlier than I did because I used to deliver groceries in the morning on a Granville style bike and when I got there he was already out on a punt at the top end of the lake. (no life jackets in those days) SO I shouted and after attracting his attention he started rowing back to the boathouse. While I was waiting about 25 / 30 yards out near to the bank that was covered in rushes a full grown male mallard started squarking very loudly and as I watched WIDE EYED started going backwards across the water and unfortunately downwards and never came back up. I stood there expecting it to surface any moment but it did not. Suprisingly my mate one Ian Carter didnt believe my story. HOWEVER TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER SOMEONE CAUGHT A 29 POUND PIKE FROM THE EXCACT SAME SPOT which made the local news papers. A vision that has stayed with me ever since. Sadly the boat house and the old park keeper that looked after the punts have long since gone. Revenue from punts was probably in total £10.00 a week and his wages £10.00 and he spent most of his time in front of the pot bellied stove so its amazing it survived as long as it did up to the 1980's possibly. Similarly on the next pool down the water line which was Blackroot had lots of rowing boats or canoes for hire and I do remember when I was very young a motor launch doing pleasure trips and that also has long since gone. VERY HAPPY DAYS.
I can hear the Blackbirds, Robins, Turtle Doves and Wood Pigeons. I used to swim out to that island!
Love it. We'd love to show this on Made in Birmingham TV on our regular segment showcasing great local videos from social media. Would you be happy to let us broadcast this with a credit to you?
Made in Birmingham TV , yes no problem, many thanks
it wasnt n owl it was a dove