Frosty Mornings and Mallards

Due to a combination of appalling weather and being fairly busy it’s been a while since I took a wander down to the local lake.  When today dawned cloudy, but dry and cold I took the chance to revisit my favourite local haunt and check out on how the approaching winter was manifesting itself.

My first port of call was the side of the lake nearest the house where my favourite group of mallards hang out and, sure enough, they were fine, gliding around as if it were a summer’s day and looking quite content with life.

My local Mallard family seem happily oblivious to the chill

Coming back along the pathway I began to notice the washed out look of the woods with a faint frost and very little bright colour.  Only the moss covered trees were really showing any green.

Moss covered trees offer some respite from the faded colours of the coming winter.

Coming round the shore to another of my favourite vantage points I was struck by how stark and bare the scene was.

Frosted reeds provide a foreground to the bare trees and faded grass on the far side of the lake.

Returning to the main pathway though there was another reminder that there is still some colour to be seen in the woods.

Moss rock and pine add a splash of colour.

Despite these infrequent hints of greenery though it wasn’t long before I was reminded how chilly it really was this morning.

Frost turns these grasses and reeds white.

Coming further round the shore to a popular inlet where I knew another bunch of ducks were often seen to congregate I was rewarded by the sight of a whole crowd of mallards, joined by some seagulls, taking advantage of some kids on a Sunday morning walk dispensing some bread.

“I’m telling you, Ingrid, he doesn’t have any food.”

“Don’t tell me he was right? Sheesh!”

On the way home I spotted these benches coated in a splendid white dusting of frost and, not surprisingly, entirely untouched.

Frost covered benches – untouched.

Crossing over the small wooden bridge across the stream which runs into the lake I caught some more of the local wildlife having some fun on a cold Sunday morning.

“You don’t expect me to get in that water just so you can get a photo, do you?”

A friendly Coot joins in the fun with the ducks

A stand-off between cat and Magpie on the banks of the stream

Even the local Troll looks a bit chilly

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