The Day Started With Screams Of Laughter,

as at about 07.00 as I was writing the blog,

 some of the children that live in the other flats,

 all piled out to play in the snow, great fun,

 we decided on a walk,

 to Kelsey Park,

  as we started our walk,

 a Robin Red Breast (Erithacus rubecula), called by to say hello,

 and in the distance a Jay, (Garrulus glandarius), one of the most colorful of the crow family,  

 was foraging for food,

 the ducks came to look us over,

 a drake and his mate,

 although warming now, there was still some ice in the center of the lake,

 a solitary heron,

 one of the Moorhens, (Gallinula chloropus), 

 with a couple of pigeons came looking for food, Diana had brought some peanuts to feed the squirrels, so those did nicely,

 a quick pose,

 then here one was,

 normally there are three or four squirrels at this part of the walk,

 today just one,

 nut picked up and he was off,

 we walked to the far end of the park, so we had not seen this huge tree before,

and it was huge!

 in the distance,

 a duck I had never seen in such numbers, Mandarin ducks, (Aix galericulata), 

 we walked along the pathway towards them,

 normally we see two or three,

 but here there were twenty or thirty at least,

 they kept their distance when it came to food,

 so Diana had to throw peanuts to them, 

 it was then a mad scramble to eat them,

 as well as feeding there were a number of males courting, it appears that having a long neck is part of the courtship ritual, as the male in the center of the photograph shows off,

 with each throw of peanuts,

 the group seemed to gain confidence,

 and moved nearer to us, until some were on the pathway,

 soon they were nearly all around us,

 I moved in closer,

 a spectacularly beautiful duck, there seems to be no real decision as to whether they escape or were introduced deliberately from Asia,

 one pair seems to have come to a decision when it comes to mates and are ready to go,

 but it did not stop another male from showing off,

 they were by now everywhere,

 we continued our walk, 

 some of the Tufted ducks, (Aythya fuligula), 

 came over for a closer look,

 and this chap walked beside me on the path, an Egyptian goose, (Aythya fuligula), which it is recognised escaped from a collection, and has made the UK it's new home,

 a look across the lake,

 the seagulls standing on the ice, 

 we meet another single squirrel on the way back, 

 which Diana feed, 

 which soon attracted the pigeons,

 it was cold, wet and slightly windy, but that was good news,

looking in every direction we had the park to ourselves, well with the exception of two joggers, two dog walkers and an another couple, so it really seemed like we were alone, just like it was when we visited Maryon Park a few weeks ago,

a last peanut for the squirrel and we made our way home,

after our evening meal I meet up with Steve or a dink and a chat at the club, it felt so strange, sitting in a pub drinking soda, but the bet I made with myself to drink no alcohol for all of February has to be kept, I just hope I can keep and last until March alcohol free! after righting the world, we said our goodbyes,

 and arriving home settled down to Red 2, great fun,

 and a sterling performance from John Malkovich as Carmen Miranda! by now it was past the midnight hour, so for us we were off to bed.