Water Birds update

The big freeze has naturally affected the various water-based birds we see in different ways. Now that it is over (for the moment at least) we have mallards back on the moat. They usually appear in late January or early February once again so they are maybe a week or so early. They are in the partnering up phase and the mixture of five drakes and four ducks was bound to lead to some competition. Two drakes were arguing over a female and had a fight using their beaks seeming to try and grab hold of each others beak. It lasted about ten seconds and then a winner was declared who went to swim next to the watching duck.
Not so good for the moorhens. A fox used the ice on the moat covering the snow on top of the ice with tracks. We had seven moorhens - there seem to be only one or two now. All that careful breeding last year has been undone it seems. Hopefully some more will come in from neighbouring ponds to give us two or three breeding pairs in due course.
No sign if the kingfisher for a few months and no sign of the heron for a few weeks. I hope the kingfisher comes back in the spring. If he does I will definitely get a better photograph this time.