counting coots

Following that incredible post title I'm tempted to go into a themed rap by using the lyrics to Bring The Noise by Public Enemy, but then thought better of it.  For the best I think.

This week there will be the lowest day time tides on the Thames for 5 years (so I am reliably informed) you can see the times and all that by clicking in this area.  This gives the very worthy people at Thames21 a chance to do a 'deep clean' on Tuesday and Wednesday and gives a patch birder the chance to moan that there are no birds around because loads of people are wandering around the foreshore.  I aim to take a few snaps and stuff anyway because it's interesting..

So rather than show you a picture of any of the above.  Have a picture of the bird that I dragged Mrs Thing along to see this weekend.  No shit!  It's a Mandarin!

Have you ever walked in Thames mud?  It is gopping.  Horrible stuff.  I'm not making a claim along the lines of Thames mud is the best/worst mud, but it is the river mud that I see the most of.  Why do I ask dear reader?  Am I going off on another random tangent?

Yesterday lunchtime the tide was low and the mad but worthy folks from Thames21 were out in the mud clearing up the rubbish again!  Because of this, there were no birds when I had been hoping for an hour of serious gullage.  Normally I would be grumbling and moaning about the humans disturbing my reverie, but I would have to be a completely heartless bastard to moan about these folks, so I won't.