Loads of boats

That pretty much sums up a miserable day weather wise here in southeast London. I was out in the mist and murk at Crossness early on, getting soaked for my troubles. That'd have been fine if I'd actually had a view of the river when I got the news that Dave Mo had a couple of Sandwich Terns flying downriver towards me. You see, when walking between the golf centre and the incinerator outfall you have a good 5 minutes of zero view courtesy of a 12 foot concrete river wall. The terns headed straight east, as David B had them going through Rainham a short while later.

Later on, I ventured out to have a gander at the Queen's river pageant - loads and loads of boats. They'd shut the Thames Barrier, so the low tide this evening at Rotherhithe never came but I have got the boats to thank for one thing - disturbing a Shelduck from elsewhere that flew straight over me near Greenland Pier at 6pm, heading up and over the Isle of Dogs. Only my 2nd in Rotherhithe following one on 28th June 2008.

Boats cluttering up the entrance to South Dock. My usual vantage point for a bit of larid action in Rotherhithe. Not today though.

Looking east towards Greenwich from Greenland Pier... I've seen Med Gulls, Black and Sandwich Terns, Little Gull from here. Not today though.

I've seen a Caspian Gull on that left hand post... not today though.