We have certainly benefitted from using  the Freedom of Information Act  to tease out information concerning rattlechain that neither the authorities or Rhodia would have made available publicly.

Drawing out information from many national and local authorities can be tiresome, which is why the act should be championed- especially when unpopular decisions are made, or where it is revealed that actions  were never officially sanctioned in the first place.

I’m talking here about the mysterious “relocation” of Canada geese from Victoria Park Tipton. My official FOI request has a target date of 15th August, but having made other enquiries, it appears that very few people whom you thought would know something about the real fate of these birds either do not know or claim not to know about this clandestine operation.

I have so far established that the Manager of the Sandwell Valley, to where these birds were supposedly “relocated”,  (according to Parks Manager John Satchwell) ,does not know anything about such an operation by the pest control company. Neither does the senior Countryside ranger at Sandwell, The conservation officer at Sandwell (who stated to me that he would not agree with such a cull being undertaken), or many of the rangers and other staff who work in the parks in the borough. One of the main players in The Victoria Park steering group also claims she knew nothing about any proposed cull. You would have thought that some form of chain of communication existed within the council instead of an autocracy- or perhaps not. One has to wonder what “experts” advised Sandwell council about taking such an action- certainly none of the countryside services team it seems.

I have not heard anything back from the parks facilities manager- though there was a similar lack of interest when I suggested and even offered to pay to plant water plants in a couple of the local parks where there was no plant vegetation for wildfowl to eat. This has nothing to do with the Canada  geese, but more likely the result of some overzealous daisy cutter in the past nuking the area with pesticides. BAD MANAGEMENT- BLAME IT ON A WILDLIFE SCAPEGOAT LIKE THE GOOSE.

I have contacted Councillor Maria Crompton, Cabinet member for Highways and Environment and have to date had no reply as to what she either knew or knows about this incident under which her portfolio covers- nor any opinion either. I really hope that she did not approve such a drastic and unnecessary action as murdering healthy birds that were doing no harm.  Ethnic cleansing of wildlife in order to obtain a silly little green flag is about as perverted as it gets.

The PR signs look ominous. A series of articles in the local rag earlier this week about green flags to lay the paving foundations perhaps for what is to come. They all think people are bloody stupid and can’t see their scheming plans of public manipulation through words and pictures. It used to be the case that local rag challenged those in power at Sandwell council- especially over the fiasco surrounding “the public”. Then came the rumoured “if you don’t start printing  good articles about us we’ll start pulling our advertising”. I have a very good source, but of course I will not be revealing it.

Suddenly we had The Public press release stories about “increased visitors at the public” , as the criticism seemed to subside about a gross and utter failure of a council to manage and plan  a project that was so bonkers in the first place it defies belief that anyone with a brain could keep pouring money into it – and so it went on with the pink and purple building then turning into a glorified Darby and Joan club that suddenly the old folk of West Brom had nowhere to go – so much for the freedom of the press….

Mind you there appear to be interesting questions emerging about the links between Sandwell College and Sandwell Council. I remember the Sandwell college campus at Wednesbury disappearing under a rather odd cloud. Someone went on a permanent holiday it seems, and never came back. Then it closed.

Sandwell council is an authority in which there is little scrutiny of decisions made. Of 72 Councillors, 70 are now Labour members, including Councillor Crompton who is a parliamentary aid to Adrian Bailey MP for West Bromwich West- in which Victoria park covers. I have known Adrian Bailey for some time as an MP, and he along with Tom Watson have always been supportive of things that swanwatch have done over the years regarding the rescue and campaigning for wildlife. This includes campaigning against wildlife crime and the persecution of wildlife in general- something to which the last Labour Government did some good in trying to combat and should be proud.

But I am afraid this is where it ends and the issue of “native and non-native” is one that this party needs to address if it gets back into power at the next election.  They cannot do in power at regional level what they claim to oppose in opposition nationally without looking like complete liars and hypocrites.  I will be writing to both these MPS in open letters to be published soon about what appears to have been a cull in Sandwell, a cull of wildlife which Labour would not appear to support according to The Labour Animal Welfare Society, (LAWS). I will be interested to see what their thoughts are.

BUAV-LAWSDoc-Jan14-PRINT

On page 14 of their recently published report they call for:

“End all government backed culls of wildlife

 including badgers.”

I could not agree more with their view, but such a cull of Canada geese  is exactly the same as the current CONDEM Government have backed against badgers- except without any real “evidence” as for why- except in general terms which can be refuted on every point. There can be no excuses, no “argh buts”, a cull is a cull and anything else is bull. The one thing that cheeses people off most about politicians is the hypocrisy and lies within which they operate.

You either support wildlife and its right to exist, or you support a parks manager who appears to instigate his own personal vendetta against what he believes to be “too many” in a site where he has a vested personal interest- including the value of his own property. Was this declared? Back him, and you are revealed to be wildlife champion dissemblers and you will be our enemies forever. If you support “native species” right to exist over “non-native” you are not on the side of diversity. Time to get off the fence and speak out.

WE OPPOSE THE CAGING AND KILLING OF HEALTHY BIRDS, WHATEVER THEIR SPECIES

According to the ERM document that accompanied the cover up works that took place last year at Rattlechain lagoon –  “ERM IMPROVEMENT WORKS” DRAFT JULY 2012. , on page 2 it identifies

“It should be acknowledged that the presence of a body of water on the lagoon over the sediment is an important control in ensuring that any ‘tramp’ phosphorus residues are unable to combust.”

As always with this website, unlike others, it is our intention to get to the truth of the matter concerning the history of this hazardous waste site and what lies beneath it. We therefore decided to track down this most elusive and maligned creature for his views, life goals and intentions. At first he was not willing to talk, trying to hide under a “small amount” of water, sand and an old rug carpet set in “toothpaste”. But over time the trust was won, and after a little persuasion and coaxing, a meet was arranged at the lagoon causeway.

 WORLD EXCLUSIVE

The tramp phosphorus

Q. Tramp phosphorus, how did you arrive at Rattlechain lagoon and how long have you been here?

A. Please, call me William Peter, the year was 1942 I believe and I arrived by boat. A nice gentleman called young Mr William  asked me to mind his fortune which was located here, but that was so many years ago now I forget how long I have been here.

Q. So how have you survived all these years?

A. Well you know you have your ups and downs like the water level, but with a plentiful supply of water I haven’t done too badly really for my age. I don’t need much oxygen anyway to survive, and I’m a right crusty old devil. I put my coat on to stop me from  disappearing. As long as I can have a smoke every now and again I don’t care. I believe the youngsters call it “vaping” nowadays.

Q . With a site like Rattlechain you must have seen some changes surely?

A. Oh indeed, indeed. There used to be just one pool and I had a watershoot down the North embankment to use, but they removed that. Then they built a bridge that we stand on now- but I still got through, even going for a dip in the canal sometimes. Then a load of pesky birds arrived, but I soon got rid of them! Then they built some houses nearby on top of the old sewage works- a foul stench that one, but I put up with the music and the barbeques, and they have to put up with me being here.

Q. So how do you feel about Solvay trying to evict you from the site last year?

A. Oh it’s all poppycock dear boy from the new landlords, flexing their limp ones I suppose. They even tried sucking me off, the dirty blighters, but I vowed never to surrender whatever they did to me. I vowed they would not make “MINCEMEAT” out of me!  

I’m well used to it now; their little schemes, and they have never broken my resolve- even when they used a floating sludge gulper . I used to get shot regularly by  “Mad Mike” when hiding in barrels that his company had dumped. And he even tried to set me on fire the once, but I still managed to survive to tell the tale.

They’ve given up trying now, I’m everywhere and nowhere, sometimes right behind them or under their feet. I’m alive and burning with vivid phosphorescence.

Cleaning up the site “BEHIND YOU!”

They said I could stay if I cleaned up a bit, but I’m going nowhere.. haven’t they heard of “squatters rights?”

“YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”

Q. So would you go as so far as to say that there is a progressive culture of  “Trampophosphobia” emanating from the Trinity Street setup? 

A. Oh most definitely Sir, they don’t like P4 bum guys down ‘The Oxford’.  There is no doubt in my mind that they are “institutionally Wasteist”!  Tramp sesquisulphide down the Gower tip doesn’t get this treatment. (mindyou?). I’m thinking of petitioning the Home Affairs Select Committee and Teresa May to see if they will table a public enquiry into the abuse.

Q. Do you have any tips for next years big race?

A. I believe that Mister Ed may win by some lengths if the going is good to soft…..

It’s funny you should  say that but I meant The General Election, not the Grand National.

Oh well in that case I don’t really care; politicians are so full of hot air which I don’t like! They make me angry, and they wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!

Q. Is there any truth in the rumour that you bare an uncanny resemblance to the Wolverhampton ring-road tramp?

A. Err No… Definitely not. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. I was born in Oldbury down the road… He had a red face and smelt a bit funny, but come to think of it so do I when I get into a rage… in fact you’re starting to bother me now with all your questions, now piss off AND LEAVE ME ALONE……!

With this we quickly left the site as William Peter disappeared beneath the lagoon waters- puffing white smoke and bubbling gas left behind in the wake. We will have to wait to see if he surfaces again, but it looks like he will be around for some time to come. What’s 10,000 years when you’re having fun?

WLBRL?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLG1ys2CGcI&list=RDRLG1ys2CGcI

He has been in hiding at Rattlechain lagoon for 72 years. But ‘the special forces of swan rescue’ managed to smoke him out of his hole. Read next week our world exclusive interview.

I thought that may grab the attention, as it was supposed to.

There are a range of birds as well as animals that have turned up at rattlechain over the years, and certainly I have noted plenty of both four and certainly two legged pussies walking through those ominous turquoise gates.

On this occasion there appears to be a missing cat in the Rattlechain/Tividale area and its environs. I’m posting this in the hope that Eilene may be returned safe and well.

A fly appears to have photobombed the picture as I was taking this.

What’s in a single word? It can have very different meanings, and in the case of the 1940’s in Europe it had a very specific meaning that ended in the deaths of innocent beings.

Recently as last year a “relocation” appears to have taken place at Victoria Park Tipton, a green flag park in Sandwell. In summer months Canada geese moult and move to larger areas of water, then disperse out. They may be noticeable, so too are the discarded feathers and “mess” though in truth this mixes with the dung of other “native” birds making it fairly indistinguishable- but the blame always appears to be with the geese from a certain type of person- blue rinse, over 60 , with an overdeveloped OCD for rats and cleanliness- perhaps something happened to them as a wee kiddy? And white don’t forget that- always white.

Last year I took some footage of a rather peculiar “relocation” from this park involving a pest control company called “PESTEX”. Their website boasts of “controlling and managing” Canada geese- though these words are in themselves circumlocutions for culling. The first thing I noted was the vehicles parked outside and some of the information contained on the logos.

Then on the park near the lake I saw a group of individuals with a harris fence set up cordoned off with tape- I certainly started to smell a rat. It was at this point that I started to wonder what the hell was going on and if Sandwell council has crossed a line in terms of culling healthy birds in this park. Then one of them, the obvious CEO of operations  made the mistake of asking me to encourage the geese over with bread toward the enclosure. He had no idea who I was, and I asked him what they were doing and for what purpose.

LIE NO 1

“We’re, er putting some special powder on their feet to stop them having pests.”

LIE NO 2

“Er we’re putting rings on their feet mate.”

LIE NO 3

“We don’t kill birds mate. We’re relocating them to the Sandwell Valley.”

TRUTH NO 1

“I’m just doing my job mate”, before pointing me in the direction of the parks manager’s house who lives in the park- whom it appears had authorised the entire operation in his wonderful green flag park himself. The guy in the combat trousers was just obeying orders.

All three of the lies are total bullshit. Looking at this lot, none are BTO ringers and rings do not go on “feet”. Powder- never heard that one before except in 40’s Poland etc. “Relocation”- that word again evoking a similar theme.

This operation was cruel and unprofessional, causing unnecessary suffering to these flightless birds in moult. Why would such a company spokesman give out such bullshit to the public if only to throw them off course for what they were actually there to do?

Transported in a horsebox for “relocation”

They look like they’ve been lamped

the round up

The entrapment

The distress

The “relocation” to certain death

These birds over 50 were not restrained in any way whatsoever. I know from 17 years experience of having to catch geese that they are incredibly distressed when handled and fight like hell to escape. Imagine this number in small enclosure and you get the picture of what would be going on in this cheap trailer trash box.

That was that- they said they were being “relocated” and I have no way of verifying it- but ha ha I do. Watch this space, because Sandwell have dropped an almighty clanger.

Then today, low and behold to the week, I noticed around 70 birds missing from the lake- including a group that had been on rattlechain with distinctive markings. This lot wouldn’t know about such things and neither would John Satchwell– the Senior parks manager who lives in the park, whom it appears has ordered the same “relocation” again. I wonder when the green flag is being judged? Perhaps the geese intimidate him or his wife when grazing outside his house.

Fence in the compound

Needless to say that I have now asked questions about this sorry affair, to which I know that these birds never arrived at Sandwell Valley- the staff there know nothing.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/relocation_of_canada_geese#incoming-540534

Needless also to say that I will get to the truth of this matter because it is what I do, like rescuing injured birds that wildlife criminals try to kill or injure.

Where have Tipton’s geese gone?

What has “the party of animal welfare” done with them?

“What is there to say? They are my friends. I would do it again, over and over — for I hate cruelty and intolerance. ” Oskar Shindler

What a joke this news story is, buried beneath the radar of a Tory reshuffle.

“The UK has taken delivery of more than 200 tonnes of toxic chemicals from Syria….. It comprised “precursor chemicals” that “are handled and destroyed by industry  on a routine basis”, a spokesman said.”

You have to wonder whether the Western chemical industry sold them this crap in the first place (the precursors) and this is just a return to sender job. A French company in the UK handling toxic waste linked to military conflicts of the past…… now where have I heard that one before?

Rattlechain has a big brother! Barnett’s brickworks had other brickwork sites; one of them being in the Aldridge area known as “Barnett and Beddowes.”  To gauge what it may have looked like before Albright and Wilson, (along with their Ministry of Supply conspirators), started to dump toxic waste I had a little expedition. There’s nothing more satisfying than hunting for some old quarry, though this one is still extracting marl for brickmaking, unlike the shambles operation that transpired at Rattlechain into the 1960’s.

Of course it’s fenced off and there are the usual warning notices, but from certain angles with the help of a great big tall person, it is possible to see the large crater in the ground. Forget the nonsense that Rhodia have tried to peddle about the Rattlechain pit being only around 22 metres deep, this is more like the depth that Albright and Wilson took on in the 1940’s.

I’m not going to pretend to be a brilliant local historian- I just like looking at old papers and connecting jigsaw puzzles, as the only way that history could be accurately recorded from the period would be with a time machine. There’s not really much on the internet that I’ve been able to find about this site but if anyone knows any more about the origins and ownership of it then  I would be interested to hear from you. I don’t know if it was the original one armed bandit Samuel who owned the rattlechain pit that was responsible for this site, or one of his brothers, but obviously the Barnett name continued in brickmaking elsewhere.

Today it appears the process of marl extraction has moved on quite a bit. Of the two major operators in the area, Ibstock and Weinerberger, the latter still extracts marl from the old Barnett pit.

All I can say to people who live in this area is thank your lucky, lucky stars that  a dirty great polluting chemical company did not decide to build a factory in your area- else you may well be starring at a toxic waste lagoon by now. What the future holds for this pit when extraction finally finishes is down to the planners as usual. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself……

I’m always on the lookout for “suspicious activity” on the homefront at Rattlechain lagoon. I keep the Rhodia/Solvay lobby HQ number handy at all times should any German paratroopers or weasely stoats should turn up unannounced.

Last week however there were some Mafioso type shade wearing dudes cruising around by the canal. There were no gondalas in site, but Tipton has more miles of canal than Venice anyhow. The air felt Mediterranean, sticky and hot- perspiration poured from every orifice and when the mobiles came out it appeared to signal that something was about to go down.  It had to be the Solvay mob.

Welcome to the Solvay family

I was convinced that a hit was going down in the joint and the wrinkly stockings would come out , but enough about the geotextile membrane already. Was this a carefully planned recky about the next big job and who would be getting the offer to buy the site for a price that they couldn’t refuse?

Pictures were being taken, though the only one missing from this one were a couple of feisty broads and Luigi and his ice cream van. I was particularly worried about  Jack “the flash” Di gestive – a regular Luca Brasi if ever there was one, and for the stallion that was tethered on the Birmingham canal at Dudley Port- but where was big Al?

Still pondering what lies beneath rattlechain lagoon

The original “Godphosser”

Undeterred, I witnessed the scene as the guys hit the trail, but not wishing to sleep with the two-headed fishes in the lagoon anytime soon, withdrew to a safer position. But as the Sicilian shaded glasses came off, I realised that it was just a summer daydream and this was not Don Corleone and his consiglieres I was watching but a “Rhodia Ltd” Director and the consultants doing another round the mulberry bush site walkover and no doubt planning another batty scheme in the pipeline. Things keep going round in circles here- or should that be pronounced “soycals”?

LIFE

Most swans hatch their cygnets in May, though there are some early birds that appear at the end of April. One particular pair that were being watched by us had had their original attempt wrecked by thugs after making a nest in a particularly vulnerable spot. It was with some surprise that they attempted again which I have rarely seen or heard of before.

With some effort a fence was erected and the result was obtained this last week when 4 new faces appeared.

water result!

DEATH

Swans that have attempted to nest at rattlechain lagoon over the years have predictably ended in disaster, to what we now know to be poisoning by white phosphorus.

This swan’s mate had died at the lagoon and was then chased off by the Rhodia boat squad. No doubt at some point in the future if vegetation is allowed to return around the edge of the lake, another attempt by a different pair- perhaps even those  cygnets shown above will be made- but the test will be in the survival.

At the lagoon this week a dead lesser black backed gull appeared freshly dead on the causeway path- somehow I do not share the optimism of the phosphorus producing pygmalions about the newly sculpted success of the “remediation” of rattlechain lagoon.

Cause of death?

Flaming June already and the sun is out! Even the ducks are taking the plunge to get out of the heat.

Diving duck

Though traditionally a very quiet month for bird rarities, sheepwash turned up a little egret again last week on the wader scrape.

Unfortunately the weather also brings out the crowds and wretched 2.4 children and wet dog in the droves, making visiting such West Midlands  “wildlife havens” a fairly miserable experience. Sandwell Valley- now a poor man’s theme park come bike racing track and Chasewater – destructive water sports R us are two examples of how local authorities are now obsessed with pulling in human crowds. It takes a full day for the poor rangers just to clear up the litter left behind from a weekend- but the councillors and higher managers don’t really see that in “the vision” do they?

It is a strange thing however that with the former site a local dogging Mecca, that the powers that be have never decided to lock up the car parks at night to stop it. “It will just send the problem somewhere else” is the usual excuse for apathy- well  good it will send it away from a wildlife reserve. I prefer to see badgers than a load of perplexed singular blokes stepping out of the undergrowth “looking” for them. If I choose to examine a leaf on a tree I want to know that the slime underneath it has been made by a slug and not something else. Sometimes one has to wonder if the people making the decisions including the police are daytime apathetic observers or really nightime active participants. There’s plenty of room on the council house car parks at night after chucking out time!

Wildlife has always been the poor relation in the local authority leisure department budget- no money to be made there, now with even more of an excuse to do less in this so called recession that we have supposed to have been living in, and so the politician cares more about the Jeremy Kyle crew, so long as they get to their food bank on time and know how to apply for benefits- especially the many available for shagging like rats – that’s where the money goes. In fact how perverse that animals that live amongst us are treated in the same category but lower down the pecking order than libraries and crown green bowling.

But hang in there wildlife lovers, half way there and come mid September the hordes will go back to watching Jezza on ITV2+1 after going to the shops for vodka and fags in their pyjamas, and nature will have to buckle down again to recover in the shivering  grip of Winter.

With corrupt housing developers and their political well paid fixers building on every available patch of green left in the towns as a direct result of politically approved mass immigration without mandate,  this in a perverse way does indeed leave hazardous waste sites as “safe havens.” Some comfort.

Hoorah for Rattlechain lagoon! I might just get my pied pipe out.

Peace and quiet at last.