Duck!

Mum and babies

Not a case of minding your head but the feathered sort!

This little family of mallards have taken up residence in the brick fishpond in the garden of where I work.

It's not that it is that close to a river or lake and the Regents Canal is maybe a mile away.

The female and her consort were visitors earlier in the year and we suppose they were checking out the neighbourhood.

The water is about two feet deep and the brick sides are sheer and a good eighteen inches above the high water level. So they should be safe from rats and foxes. Only human predators and the heron might prove to be a problem.

She nested in one of the large pots housing some shrubbery. All seven (OUCH!) eggs hatched and they have emerged into the pond.

Adam the premises manager has built a floating duck house - the green tarp keeps the weather out, plus a floating platform for the ducklings to rest on. They can't bob about in the water all the time.

Today the drake paid a visit and they all hid from him in the house!

Here's a video I shot today!!