I went over to the Wolseley Centre again - more in hope than expectation of seeing the Kingfisher. Apparently, the Robin won the poll for Britain's favourite bird and the Kingfisher was in 4th place.
The two photographers standing near the bend in the river said that he had been around earlier, and then a large group of Primary school children arrived with their teacher and a lecturer who was doing something about rivers. They took up a position on a lower platform.
He declaimed loudly about "meeee-anders" and various other snippets of technical vocabulary. The kids were so well behaved. I don't think those of us standing on the higher platform thought he was particularly interesting.
He continued to give them instructions about doing a river map and while he was repeating himself, the kingfisher appeared.
I wanted to yell out, "Hey, kids. Look" but I'm far too polite (and his lesson was hanging by a thread anyway).
I just wish education wasn't quite so scripted. Observing Nature and being spontaneous is so much more fun.
The kids finished their drawings and were ushered away.
