What a day!

I awoke this morning at my usual Summer time - around 5 o'clockish and thought - what shall I do today. While thinking I was aware that the Parakeets were very noisy as they had been for the last few days. The fledglings are now about and, as with yesterday, 14 graced my Eucalyptus tree with their raucous presence.

These are all different birds sitting in the same tree at the same time.






Not long after that, I had a furry visitor and by the looks of it - a young one. It didn't like the strong morning sun in it's eyes either.




As I've had a doggie passenger in the car a lot recently, I decided that, now I'm not on dog watch for a while, I would clean out the inside of the car. This I did and whilst I was in a "cleaning" mood (doesn't happen very often!) I gave my bicycle a clean too.

After all that hard work and, given the sun was shining, I decided that I would have a cycle around the local area. Not far from my house and away from the "main" area is a small industrial estate at the end of a "dead end" road. It's a "dead end" only for motorists though, as a pathway leads you to the River Ember which eventually finds its way into the River Thames. You start out by crossing a bridge, and then a wooded footpath leads you to the weir. To the side of the weir is also a railway bridge. I was amazed at the wildlife I found this afternoon:

In addition to the usual Blue Tits, Blackbirds etc., I saw Mute Swans, two pairs of Great-crested Grebes, Cormorants, Coots, a very few Mallards, House Martins wheeling about the river catching a meal, and, a Tern! I don't know whether it was Common or Arctic and try as I might, I could only get a record shot (I hadn't got my binocs with me! doh). Many damsel and dragonflies flitting about the river's edge and along the banks studded with wild flowers - including some roses. One of note was a Banded Demoiselle (two of them) which was a nice surprise (no picture though)

In addition to all this I heard, but could not find, what I'm sure were (from the noise!) Marsh frogs. I'll have to go back soon with my binocs, but I think they were in the river close to the edge of a very steep downward bank - one which I went down so far, but no further. I wasn't about to join them IN the river!

My trusty steed!

Tunnels under the railway bridge



Water gushing through the first (small) weir

and a sideways view

The main weir

and further around, the railway bridge


looking downstream from the weir

Cormorants enjoying the sun


On the far banks some horses and donkeys

a bit of Flora


This is as far as I could go without having to lift my bike over a style!

A Tern flies along the river, but not choosing a very pretty background

and away up the river

Looking at the weir from further downstream




A couple of Mute Swans with a Great-crested Grebe very far in the background

Flying Cormorant

and finally, why is it that the best shot I managed, I also managed
to cut off one of its wings!