online: 2 december 2011 modified: 1 december 2011 1 december 2011 on a watery planet
Vale of Health pond
...soon after i arrived here a heron descended onto deep water and then flew with a few strokes of its large wings towards the shallow water... where it stood for about a minute... then it walked slowly towards deeper water and again stood completely still with its beak pointing upwards... then it flew across the water to the far side of the pond... and another heron arrived high above the trees and circled but did not descend before flying away to the east...
... when i looked next there was a heron on the floating garden raft... but now it's gone...
...grey and white seagulls are continually circling and descending... and taking off from the water surface... where a few coots and ducks are floating and swimming...
...none of these birds seem to be catching any fish... neither do the people fishing with fixed rods on the opposite bank... they are standing and talking beside the green and grey bivouacs in which they perhaps spent the night...
...now there are circular waves on the surface where a few coots are diving... on resurfacing one seems to be eating something... and one of the people fishing has taken a rod from the water and is perhaps re-baiting it...
...the gulls silently fly closer to where i am sitting... and there is no one else in sight but the people who are fishing and talking... no signs of life in the surrounding village... except that anther heron is standing in the shallow water close to the houses... and now he or she flies over the water to a part of the pond that's out of sight...
...today there is continuous grey cloud at a few thousand feet and some sunny intervals... and the air is damp...but it is warm for december...
...i decide to continue walking...
...following the position of the second hand of my watch at each junction in the path has brought me to the highest seat... on which is a pair of thermal gloves branded 'thinsulate'... the distant city towers are half-concealed by mist and the gorse bushes have suddenly bloomed...
...despite the sounds of traffic close behind me this scene seems peaceful... two stalks of grass stand immobile in still air... surrounded by many fallen grasses... and low sprouting bramble leaves (mostly dark green and some yellow)... there are pine cones on the ground before me and short grasses that still may be growing... amongst many fallen pine needles... all on damp soil if not muddy... among the cigarette butts and the ancient pebbles at this spot on the surface of the earth... with its clouds and its waters...
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