Waterbirds everywhere

Now that moat is brimful of water the birds are back. First of all a healthy number of moorhens - there seem to be eight. If they all stay and breed that's as many breeding pairs the moat can support as far as I can tell. It would also hopefully mean loads of moorhen chicks -always entertaining. Next there are nine mallards - again stacks of ducklings if they stay. At one point all seventeen birds were on the same patch of lawn. One duck briefly broke off from their usual attitude of studiously ignoring the moorhens to chase one away. Finally the best of the lot - a kingfisher is baack. I had the privilege of watching it dive and come up with a stickleback and then to watch it eat the fish on a perch on the bank. The kingfisher was back twice the next day so it is looking like it may be coming regularly. I note that I last saw a kingfisher in October but I was chatting to someone who spotted it over the moat twice in December. All we need is a visit from the heron and we will have the complete set.