Male gadwall

Thanks to everyone for all the messages of sympathy and support - I'm so sorry if I caused some tears but I wanted to record my feelings while they were still raw. We're gradually coming to terms with the massive gap in our lives, and our other dog, Rosie, is getting double the love and affection. She was keen to go out on a beautiful frosty November morning, so Pete and I took her for a long walk round Ferry Meadows. I hadn't realised that over the last few months she had been adjusting her pace to Gemma's, and now that she's alone I can see that walks will be much brisker.

The winter ducks are beginning to return to the lakes, albeit in small numbers. There were wigeon, shoveler, pochard and tufted duck on the smallest lake, as well as several pairs of gadwall Anas strepera. This is a very grey-coloured dabbling duck, a little smaller than the mallard, and with an obvious black rear end. It can be considered rather drab, but when seen close up the grey colour is made up of exquisitely fine barring and speckling. It also has bright yellow feet, which can just be seen in this image. It's a frequent visitor to gravel pits, lakes, reservoirs and coastal wetlands in winter.

Chris's girlfriend took us all out for a pub lunch, as a thank you for proof-reading her dissertation. It was a welcome distraction, and a real treat. After that, a small group of us went to King's Dyke NR, where a small group of bearded tits have been spotted over the last few days. Unfortunately we arrived just before sunset, and didn't manage to spot them, though we did get a glimpse of the back end of a water rail disappearing into the reeds.