New ducks on the block...

Every spring our garden is visited by a pair of ducks, prospecting for a nest site. Usually they stay for an afternoon and then move on, the combination of cats, dogs and people being just too much. This year we've been visited on three days, and the ducks have stayed longer each time.They're much bolder than normal too, staying put in the face of our domestic predators, and coming up on the patio to scavenge food put out for the blackbirds. While they're a very attractive addition to the garden fauna, I hope they don't decide to nest as there's nowhere fox-proof, and while the cats may not pursue adult ducks, I'm sure that ducklings would be un unresistable temptation.

Once again it's been bitterly cold, though we've only had sleet rather than the snow that's been falling further north. Pete and I took Rosie round the Rowing Lake at lunch time and were very surprised to see a mink in the car-park when we returned to the car. It was drinking from a puddle and was totally oblivious to us, aided by a strong wind blowing our scent away. Unfortunately my camera was in its bag, and the mink retreated to some bushes before I could get it out. I found mink prints and a scat down by the river a couple of weeks ago, so I knew one was around, but it's quite unusual to see them in dayligght, especially some distance froim the river. I suspect it may have been forced to move because of the flooding, and is now preying on the very large number of rabbits which live around the car-park.