And yet another rescue.

Slightly more unusual rescue today and a critter not many of us see. This is definitely one animal not liked by many, although I do find them fascinating. If you love flat lawns then you probably wont thank me for saving it, but not one to see an animal suffer, I made Ian reverse the boat, nudge the bow into the tiniest gap between moored boats just so I could get off with my net. The critter in question was a mole. When I saw this thing swimming in the water at first I thought it was two moorhen chicks following each other. Anyway managed to get a couple of pictures and one very blurred of it  in my fishing net

As soon as it was released it started to dig.

So good deed done for the day I walked toward the bridge so Ian could pick me up. The smell hit me first but you didnt need a degree in finding the source!

Not sure who is wrong in this. Council for not emptying the bin or the dog owners not taking the poo bags elsewhere.

Time was again not on our side as we followed a boat down Clayden locks. It was one up, one down on all 5 in the flight. Even so we caught the slow boat up at every lock and this continued until the  Cropredy facilities where thankfully he stopped. We could then motor on a bit and eventually arrived at a very busy Banbury. We had thought of stopping here but knowing time to reach Thrupp was now getting desperate, we pushed on for another mile or so, eventually stopping between lift bridge 170 and 171. No doubt another very early start tomorrow. Somehow we may struggle to reach Thrupp by Sunday morning. Lets hope we don't meet any slow boats tomorrow.

A very busy Banbury

Lift bridge before the lock

Lift bridge 170

And 171 in the distance.

 Photos on route.

Painted Lady

Lesser spotted Woodpecker

Reed Bunting