Playtime for ducks?!

The village was brightened this morning by The Hobblers in rainbow gear heading off in pairs for a 5k charity run in aid of a local child who needs specialist physiotherapist treatment.  2 local Blipper’s were 2 of the runners (Wendles56 and WilsdenWalker in extras).  A really icy start again and the pavements were lethal in parts, but I had decided to walk up St Ives to try to capture a cloud inversion I had seen first thing, however it had almost disappeared by the time I reached the estate.  There were quite a few birds around including several blackbirds and the Robin which often seems to follow me round on my walk.  Also saw a nuthatch which is a rare sight for me (too fast to photograph), and heard a woodpecker, but couldn’t see it.  Trees had fallen on the bottom path and the mud down there was dire (many more walkers during lockdown),  but managed to get past and walked up into Betty’s Wood just as light snow started.  A slow walk around the pond with prams and toddlers ahead of me, but I stayed for a while watching the ducks in my main image climbing a sloping tree trunk and then sliding back down!  They spent quite some time doing this until a dog came along and they shot off into the pond - kept me amused anyway!  Noticed some of the younger swans “canoodling” - seems spring is in the air!  Sorry about all the extras - lots of photo opportunities today!