h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My favourite river isn't a large, well known river. Its called the River Witham. I used to fish in it as a child when I lived near Lincoln. Now I live in Grantham, and this particular river that meanders through Lincolnshire which gave me much pleasure as a child living in the countryside is now at the bottom of my garden. I have been living at my present address for nearly five years, and without the river, I wouldn't consider living anywhere else. It provides a haven for so much wildlife that there is always something to see when walking along the path neaxt to the bank. Over the last few years my wife and I have seen many birds such as Mallards, Herons, Moorhen, Coots, the occasional Kingfisher (we're told that a family of Kingfisher have nested for over 20 years, but they are scarcely seen) Seagulls and even a lost Cormorant!
We have, on rare occasions seen the elusive Water Vole, which since the early 1990s, has seen the poulation decrease drastically. Such a shame, as seening these cute little fellas preening themselves on the bank of a river or swimming about is a joy.
We also look foreward each spring to see the new arrival of ducklings on the river bank, which is a sure sign that winter has passed by, and a summer to look forward to. Sadly, not all of the newly born hatchlings survive, and we will often see a family of 13 or so dwindle over the weeks as they often fall foul of predators like cats, Herons and Pike.
We try to keep our bank as overgrown and natural as possible for wildlife such as frogs, and have so far resisted the urge to slap decking down the bottom of the garden.
As Ratty would say, "...we wouldn't have it any other way"