This watercourse is a Lincolnshire dyke, a man made drainage channel and part of a network of connected systems that keep the land drained and able to produce the amazing amounts of food that the county is known for.
Being part of a connected system and steep sided the dykes form wildlife corridors and also refuges for water voles, amphibians and many water birds. This particular dyke edges a very minor single track road near the cottage. It's home to breeding ducks and a family of Little Egrets.
The team who maintain the dyke go to great efforts to keep it from silting up, keep the edges solid and avoid interfering with birds or mammals.
Tonight we found this on top of a low area where the Egrets roost
Whoever fly tipped could have done it on a flat field on the other side of the road less than 6 feet away. They chose to dump deliberately into the water on top of an important habitat.
We will report it and help to clean it up.
I know it's a minority that do this but if you ever wonder why landowners don't welcome people - this is why. It's impossible to monitor everywhere and when people bend over backwards to grow food responsibly and help wildlife, you get this.
Sometimes I just detest humanity.