Enjoying a bit of a stretch

This young moorhen performed the most beautiful arabesque for me this morning .... took me back to my days at ballet lessons when I struggled to balance on one leg.

When I went to Maxwell Park this morning I was hoping to see the tufted ducklings .... no joy.  The extra photo I actually took on Sunday when it was rather wet.  The mother duck had 8 wee jet propelled chicks that were just scuttling everywhere.  No sign of any today.  I'm hoping they were settled somewhere among the reeds but there was one large gull keeping a watchful eye.