Lackford Lakes

On my way from Lincoln to Bury St Edmunds I happened upon a property owned by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, more specifically Lackford Lakes. Having some hours to kill and wanting to get an anthropological take on one of the most British of all species - the birdwatcher - I went in. I spent a surprising (and exhausting in the summer heat) couple of hours wandering about the area, taking pictures of birds, blending in with the birdwatchers and sweating my way through fields, mud and deep, dark forest.

This picture, to any sane man, is not worthy of anyone's attention, certainly not for more than a few seconds, precisely to establish that nothing of interest is happening. Yet, when I arrived at the shelter (they call it a "hide") from where these pics are shot, there were about half a dozen geezers with cameras and binoculars watching intently. I shudder to consider how boring my life would have to be before I took to watching birds. Then again, there are probably those who feel the same way about my interest in US politics...? Nah, that's crazy talk.


This series of a swan climbing up on a platform and cleaning herself was the most exciting thing that happened all day. I kid you not.


Stretching. You can feel the suspense rising can't you?


OMG! She's cleaning herself! Like, far out, man!


And some black bird has landed and is flashing the lake. This is too hardcore for me!


There were people sitting in shelters with thermos flasks and packed lunches. Some had huge telelenses on their cameras, staring out onto what, to me looked like perfectly still, utterly dull ponds. I have no idea what they were hoping to see, as pretty much all the wildlife in those ponds were sweltering under the same heat I was, and thus had no inclination to make any public appearances.