More picspan - crossrail, swans, and coots

[ffutures]

First, this evening's crossrail picture - a rather large mound of earth excavated from the Royal Oak Portal, stored between Royal Oak and Paddington Stations

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AExcavated_soil1.JPG

Incidentally, I've created a gallery in the Crossrail entry, which I think is long overdue. later but someone apparently disagrees and promptly deleted it - really can't be arsed to do it all again.

Next, a rather odd trio - they were acting like a family, I'm no expert but I think the brown bird is not a swan - some sort of goose? Or am I completely mistaken, and it's a very large young swan that hasn't got its final plumage? They were on the canal a few days ago anyway.







Next, some coots swimming in very clear water - again a few days ago - showing their weird feet very clearly.

















And finally, some rather silly-looking ducks at Paddington basin - saw them on my way to work last week.

Comments

[inamac.livejournal.com]

Lovely photos. The brown bird is this year's cygnet (they don't go white until their first adult moult). The water is very clear - you can see the fish!

Coot feet are wonderful.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I thought the beak was a bit different which is why I was confused.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

What will they do with all the earth and clay they're digging out? Presumably it will all be trucked out of London somewhere?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

They've just finished setting up a railhead so that it can be taken out by train; presumably there is a large landfill somewhere that will be getting it, I think the total to be removed is something like 200K tons from the whole project.

[ggreig]

They dig another tunnel to put it in!


Sorry, just watched a Porridge episode yesterday in which that was the punchline...

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Fill up that nasty channel thing to stop the French coming over eh? :)

[willplant.livejournal.com]

Apparently they are taking all the spoil out to Essex to form a new wetlands habitat 'the size of the City of London' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19598532

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Ah. Google is my friend. The soil will be taken to Wallasea Island where it will create a new wetlands environment that will be bigger than the city of london. Apparently. It will be a nature reserve anyway.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

surely if they fill the channel it will be easier for the frog hordes?

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

I should imagine that proposed 75% tax rate on the rich will be sending a horde of filthy rich frog hordes your direction sooner rather than later.