New pond visitors

Over the past few years we have had several interesting visitors to our garden pond: an otter, a heron, a dipper and many frogs, but today I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked out of the kitchen window and saw a very handsome mallard and his mate swimming and dipping their heads in the pond as if they had always been there. Sadly, they didn't hang about too long and I just managed to get this one photo of Mr Duck. However, I could see them wandering up the stream that runs along the bottom of the garden (extra) and we suspect that they are looking for a suitable place to build a nest. I do hope that they are successful in raising a family, especially with otters and mink in this area.