Hippity hop - who's going in first?

I only popped down to Waitrose for a few things! Three hours later I got back home.

Wandered through town before shopping. There was a lot of noisy activity going on at St. Helen's Wharf: swans were using the Thames as a runway.

Their wings make a heck of racket as they take off and land. They look elegant when skimming over the water, but quite the opposite when they're trying to get going or land. Before take-off they look really fierce, puffing themselves up and pushing their heads down into their wings. Really most bizarre - I stood there for at least half an hour watching.

I must admit today I really really wished I had a better camera: took dozens of shots but too far away and too blurred. The best three (of a bad bunch) are here.

So instead, I blipped this loving couple - standing warily at the edge of the wharf in order to keep away from all the toing and froing.