Lift-Off!!

I was down by the river today for the first time since the weather took a turn for the better, and it's so different now the waters have receded. The birds were a lot more lively. Not sure if that's them feeling full of the joys and spring, or the fact that now people are getting out more, there's a constant state of crust alert - in the 15 minutes I was there, there were at least four times when squadrons of swans, geese, duck and pigeons scrambled at the approach of someone with a bag of stale bread.

I saw this youngster paddling/waddling frantically across the surface of the river to try to achieve escape velocity, and I brought the camera up just in time to catch the moment he lifted off. Thanks to the motor drive, I caught a few more of him as he continued in flight - by then looking MUCH more elegant and refined - but I preferred the energy and determination in this one. You could almost hear him shouting, "GERONIMO!!!" :)