Monday morning

It was such a beautiful morning with a wonderful light on the river, burning off early morning mist.

The swans and ducks are frantic for wheat at the moment, even though it isn't desperately cold for this time of year. I've noticed that the mute swans, and Bidou the black swan, are spending more and more time begging for food. At night, they haunt the house until around 9pm in the hope of a late night feed.

There must be something in the air because the Mandarin ducks are gradually returning. First it was a solitary one, then a pair and tonight it's two pairs.

Since our return from Florida an old coot has taken up residence on the deck. I think its partner might have been killed in one of the vicious battles I saw just before we left. This coot hides from the resident pair by crouching down behind the kayaks, lurking beneath the bistro table or disappearing into the garden pond. It makes a real mess of the deck, pooping everywhere, but I feel sorry for it; it comes right up to my feet to be fed.

While we were away some friends took it in turn to feed the garden birds and the waterfowl. The postman also asked if he could put out wheat for the ducks when he delivered the post. He was amazed at how many ducks and swans turned up. At one point he heard a strange thudding noise approaching and then realised that it came from a drake thundering along the deck to join in the feeding frenzy!