Must be the wrong kind of water

I'm working close enough to make the trip up the Thames today to Newbridge having heard about the arrival of six White Storks that have stopped there. On the drive there I count over FIFTY  Red Kites now that has to demonstrate the success of the reintroduction across the Chilterns. In Newbridge I find the Maybush Pub and use their car park to pull on the boots in readiness for a boggy walk along the banks of the Thames. This far up the Thames is a countryside river that has burst it's banks in places and flooded the fields around it. Only in Britain could we talk about flood warnings and hose pipe bans in the same breath.

The Maybush pub Newbridge

White Storks Newbridge 30th April 2012

Anyway I'm walking through the water logged field and make it to the second gate to find it totally under water so I'm forced to climb through the barbed wire fence to avoid a good soaking..........



The Thames full of the wrong water!

Half way between gate two and three and I can see the Storks through the trees but to get a better view I need to get the other side of gate three which is much wetter than the prior gate so I manage with some difficulty to creep along the fence line along the gate and over the fence to the side of the gate having been asked not to open the gate as it spooked the Storks earlier in the day...what a mission but worth it as I was rewarded with good clear views of the six birds feeding.

Satisfied with another lifer for 2012 I'm heading home via Lea Valley where I pick up a Garden Warbler and Hobby to bring my year list to 214.