Hiding in the Shadows

Now that the peak of the holiday season is over, A and I decided to visit Pensthorpe.  Surprisingly, there were still a lot of children of school age there but of course it doesn't take long to leave people behind once one walks away from the visitor centre and into the tranquil surroundings of the reserve.  We saw a lot of squirrels dashing around, a deer too, but they were too quick for me to get a photo.  We were almost back to the entrance when I came across this beautiful female mallard hidden away in a little stream behind some vegetation.  She didn't seem to mind me taking her photo.