After walking from #Freckenham down gorgeous Kennett-Lee Brook, a perfect-looking #chalkstream, as I slipped into #RiverLark at West Row on a perfect Saturday a.m., was buzzing with anticipation for a swim up Lee Brook. But, horrors! For almost a mile a DEAD ZONE! #MySwim 1/7
Apart from some swarms of fish fry at the confluence of the Lee Brook with the #RiverLark, many of which were diseased, including these Roach, for the first mile, the only fish I saw were diseased or dead, such as this Perch & these Three-spined Sticklebacks.
Haven't seen anywhere else the diseases suffered by the fish in Lee Brook at its confluence with River Lark; especially Roach and Minnow fry were affected. Also saw Chub, Rudd & Gudgeon fry in the mixed shoals. #FishDiseases#FishDisease#freshwaterfishes#WestSuffolk#cambs 3/7
Suddenly just upstream of this structure at Lee Farm, Lee Brook became a beautiful #chalkstream again with pools of Dace. What could be causing the dead zone for the mile downstream? @theriverstrust IsMyRiverFitToPlay app lists no sewage outflow here #Freckenham#WestSuffolk 4/7
Upstream of Lee Farm lots caddis fly larvae in Lee Brook & signs of Signal Crayfish. In the mile downstream of it I saw only the remains of a rather uncomfortable looking snail & this oligochaete worm. Also bones of cow or similar scattered for some distance. #chalkstreams 6/7
Returning down Lee Brook past Lee Farm, suddenly came across a pillow case full of jewellery stuck against a fallen tree across the current! Lugged it home in case anyone wants to claim? Any recent thefts in #Freckenham#Isleham? Mute Swan outriders led way on the last leg. 7/7
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Astonished to find the 1.5km of River Lark from Mildenhall to Worlington includes glorious prime #chalkstream, silken with River Water Crowfoot. I indulged in it sans wetsuit (H2O 19°C) the last 2 eves, 1st entering top left. Here's a cooling🧵on the wonders found. #MySwim 1/22
At the Worlington end of my River Lark Swim delighted to find the River Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans) still in flower, spangling the long tresses gilded by the evening sun. I swim upstream first. It's then a lot faster going back down!
#chalkstreams #WestSuffolk 2/22
Alongside River Water Crowfoot surprised to find Chalkstream Water Crowfoot (R. pseudofluitans) with shorter tassels. Also, with crowfoot vibe, long strands of Fennel Pondweed (Stuckenia pectinata), here flowering, & lush banks of Horned pondweed (Zannichellia palustris). 3/22
Poor, poor River Cam. 1 of most disappointing swims we've had & our 1st in UK for 8 weeks. Should've been divine on this gorgeous summer evening, snorkelling 500m up from Braseley Bridge to Byron's Pool, water 17.4°C (air 23.8). But shockingly, visibility almost nil. #MySwim🧵1/5
Perhaps the awful visibility of the River Cam is why this fisherman is looking so thin & lethargic?
There's masses of fish in there, evident as they surface, but if they can't be seen otherwise, do the piscivorous birds go hungry?
#BirdsSeenIn2023 #Cormorant #Trumpington 2/5
Besides the Cormorant, there were the usual river waterbirds, all well habituated to human presence in the busy Byron's Pool Local Nature Reserve: Moorhens - some with tiny young, Mallard, Mute Swan.
#BirdsSeenIn2023 #RiverCam #ByronsPool #Trumpington #Grantchester #Cambridge 3/5
#invertefest 🧵on amazing #marineinvertebrates of NW Sicily's Mediterranean. On night snorkel met incredible Spotted Bumble Bee Shrimp (Gnathophyllum elegans)! And Rugose Spider Crab (Herbstia condyliata)? but what's the zooming red shrimp that kept crashing into us? #MySwim 1/25
Other common crabs of the Gulf of Castellammare, Sicily include: Sea Urchin (Percon gibbesi) especially among break water boulders, Warty (Eriphia verrucosa), Runner Crab (Pachygrapsus marmoratus) - by anemone, & Mediterranean Intertidal Hermit (Clibanarius erythropus) crabs 2/25
These enchanting Rockpool/Grass Prawns (Palaemon elegans) were abundant in the crystal clear, bath-warm shallows of Calla Minnola, Levanzo. Love how you can see, on their head, the toothed rostrum & feather like structures at base of antennae & all their internal organs.
3/25