With the cold weather here the reserve is pretty quiet but the mallards are a constant presence and quite a few pairs remain throughout the winter months. These two photos were taken earlier in the fall. The lake now has a sheen of ice on it but even when it freezes solid a thin stretch by the shore remains open; luckily for the ducks and other animals who inhabit the forest year round. You often hear the the ducks before you see them these days, a cheering sound that slices through the cold December air.