Be The Jam

Had a swim in the river before breakfast, it was bracing but refreshing; one of those things that feel good after the event.

After breakfast I walked along the river bank to Oxford admiring all the narrow boats as I went, when I grow up I might get one of those. In amongst the reeds on a log that was half in half out of the water there perched a Heron, I paused a while to watch it fish there was not much to see it stood stock still like an inert alert shaggy ink cap with a beak. A lady with an impatient dog had also stopped to watch it, apparently that particular stretch of river is it's territory and it is regularly to be seen. She told me it is particularly impressive when it flies, I had a brief vertigo of temptation to hurl a rock in it's direction in order that I should see the spectacle of flight for myself.

After a while watching a stationary bird, however majestic, becomes a little dull so I walked on and shortly managed to scare something into movement. Right by a big patch of those reeds that you can peel to make candle wicks, I'm not sure of the name I'm afraid, there was the distinctive 'plop' of something entering water, the glassy surface of the river revealed not the identity of the creature and once the perfect circle of ripples had stilled there was no evidence left at all. There was a similar 'plop' last night near my new home; it was probably one of those otter / mink / rabbit / wood pecker creatures that are so common at this time of year.