Happy Easter!

That’s the most important thing, whether you have any faith or none, because I’d like everyone to have as much of a happy everyday as they can possibly have. I’m not fussed if that’s eating your weight in chocolate, going to church, mosque or synagogue, or going out for a long walk. I won’t tell you what’s right for you and, if I’m very lucky, then you won’t tell me what’s right for me. Just be happy wherever, whenever, and however you can.

This beauitful bird reflected on a still lake made me very happy, not least because I was in the presence of a rare bird that the wildlife expert Chris Packham was thrilled to see him, and kept his location secret because last time he talked about a muscovy duck wildfowl hunters shot it, and put pictures of it dead up on the internet, so maybe I’ll just edit down that bit about wanting everyone to be happy if you don’t mind? Yes, I thought you’d agree with me

So, anyway, here we have the secret wild bird, who we know well enough for him to come scooting across to us for grain. In return, he poses for pictures and chases away the bigger mallard ducks, who are beautiful in an entirely different way. There are times when I wonder how wild he is, but who am I to argue with Chris Packham?

I like mallards too, because a local naturalist was known as Darwin’s Moon because he discovered evolution at the same time as Charles Da,rwin but didn’t want the hassle that went with the credit. He also did research on adaptive behaviour, which is where birds, animals and humans learn that certain behaviour works well. Like being cute and posing for pictures when people who always have grain with them arrive with cameras, for instance. Everyone’s happy because I get my pictures and they get their meal. We regulars talk to each other, and our slogan as local elections draw near is more ducklings, fewer politicians!

In this case, I’m remembering a group of ducklings who ended up being brought up by a flock of greylag geese who’ve also brought up some Canada Geese. I don’t know if they’re truly lovely, kind creatures who care for everyone and only hiss at people who deserve it or seriously need to get their eyes tested. Anyway, two years later, the way ducks parent their ducklings has changed. I’m afraid the ducklings in this park didn’t have a high survival rate because their mothers had a habit of swimming off when they got fed up, or males killed the ducklings so they could mate with their mums. Not now, though. Now, as you’ll see, the males are helping to rear them, and mum is a lot firmer with them. Best of all, they’re doing so much better, and they are so, so, so cute. All fluffy and brown and gold and cheeping as they swim like pull-back toys and gleefully ignore their mothers.

Soon there’ll be baby goslings, and with any luck, I won’t be chasing after a crow that’s swooped down and grabbed a gosling while I scream my head off at it to let the poor little bird go because I was fed up with bullies. Last time, it opened its jaw to caw derisively, and the gosling tumbled to the ground. I wasn’t expecting a happy ending, but the gosling got up, cheeped, and went in the opposite direction to its family while the crow waited for another chance, which it got in the first place because the gosling wouldn’t stay with its brothers and sisters. So I tried to catch it. I tried to feed it. Then I just chased it while shouting at the crow till its family noticed me and came to have a good go at the Little Master. He’s all grown up now and still comes to see me whenever I go down to the park. He still doesn’t do as he’s told, though, so I’m hoping his babies have more sense. You never know. It could happen. I promise I’ll keep you up to date

See you on Tuesday…