The guardian...

Another busy, busy Friday! Pete left early to go to Canvey Island for a day's surveying, and I took Rosie to the river, which was literally quite dazzling in the early morning sun.

At the moment there are at least four pairs of swans nesting on our various walking routes. This pair have taken up residence next to the boardwalk through the middle of the nature reserve, which is currently closed because the prolonged flooding has warped it and torn it free from its foundations, making it extremely hazardous. The cob was very angry at Rosie and was rather intimidating, though she wasn't bothered. I managed to get a few shots of him before we left them in peace.

As we returned I was pleased to hear five red warblers singing, as well as two garden warblers - which pretty much means all the migrants have settled in. We first saw our regular swifts a couple of days ago; their screaming is a sure sign of summer.

The rest of the day was a mix of cleaning and cooking, collecting Chris from the station (he's now home to finish his research report) and doing chemistry revision with Ben and Niall, the last joint session before their exam. Lizzy joined us for dinner, which gave me a chance to catch up on all her news - and then it was time for bed - feeling shattered!