Ducks on the island in Fromehall millpond

I took the car for its MOT test at my regular garage, originally a small family owned business, which has kept its friendly feel combined with good service. I also like it because of its location on the floodplain of the river Frome just outside the town centre. I can leave the car to be tested and take my camera for a walk to the old Fromehall Mill, whose millpond is less than a hundred yards away. The mill itself not in great condition and a worry to us at the Preservation Trust but some of the building has short term tenants using the premises in unusual ways.

The pond has become rather silted up as the flow from the river is diverted through other channels, whilst the river remains in its original path nearby. Standing on the edge of the pond is now more limited too in summer as shrubs have been allowed to grow quite high. I found a spot whereI could look out over much of one side of it, with the small island now covered by trees and shrubby vegetation.

There were a couple of moorhens and a coot, with a few gulls circling above. A tern flitted around the island landing on telephone wires at times before diving down onto the water to duck under for a wash. Saw a flash of a kingfisher as it landed on a tree branch on the opposite bank which separates the pond from the river. Before I could focus on it I saw another blue and orange flash as it flew  away through the trees towards the river. A little later it returned in the opposite direction but didn’t land again so I had to be content with just having seen it a few times.

I saw several of the ducks come in and out of view as they swam right around the island, but didn’t notice them climb up onto the island. It was a little while later that I noticed this scene which attracted me, as a still life. A view into the private and safe island world.