When is a goose not a goose?

Today I went for a stroll along our local river Blackwater and spotted a small group of these Egyptian Geese which I believe are technically ducks. According to the RSPB website there are about 1000 of these birds in the UK in winter, mostly in East Anglia. What seven of them were doing in Sandhurst is anybody's guess.

Further downstream a couple of proper ducks - mallards- were having a scrap.

The Blackwater is a fascinating little river. Much of the water in it comes from treatment works rather than direct from the rain and so it seems to be less prone to flooding than most. The water quality must be good because it is full of fish, although there are few monsters.

Here at Sandhurst it meanders through lush grazing meadows before reaching the dozens of gravel pits that specimen hunting anglers flock to at Yateley. The mild winter this year has failed to kill off the abundant weed in the river, so next year we should have abundant insect life I guess. The meadows are already well known for butterflies, damsel flies and wild flowers.

I'm afraid Herbie would have no chance of navigating the Blackwater because it's only a couple of feet deep for most of its length and very narrow and overgrown. I'm happy just to walk and fish there.