Ducks and geese on the river Yare - and Santa! - in Thorpe St Andrews on 23rd December 2025

 The river Yare in Thorpe St Andrews on a rather overcast pre-Christmas afternoon

Plenty of Black-headed gulls, a Greylag goose and a selection of Mallards

Female Mallard following three different types of Mallard drake

Two of the feather variations in the Mallard drakes

Large Cayuga duck

Egyptian goose

A few females with Mallard drakes in normal and different feather combinations

Male Gadwall with a female Mallard

I was watching the male Gadwall when it suddenly flew up from the river

Handsome Gadwall drake

Melanistic Mallard drake

Mallard in the usual colouring at the top and one with different feather suit at the bottom

I was hoping that this was a white Dove, but think it might be a white Pigeon - not sure?

The Cayuga duck is almost as large as the Greylag and Egyptian geese

The Cayuga towered above the Mallards when it was standing up

Cygnet at the edge of the river

One boat was decorated with coloured lights - better seen in the dark!

Light-coloured female with a Mallard drake

Pair of Egyptian geese ready for a ride along the river

Mallard hybrid having a word with a pal

Selection of Mallards on the grass

A skein of geese flew overhead

Later in the week I discovered a very large Santa had visited one of the nearby houses!!!!!

The organ, nativity scene and wall paintings inside Norwich Cathedral just before Christmas 2025

I spent Christmas just outside Norwich and visited the city with my sister on Tuesday afternoon.  We went inside Norwich Cathedral and saw the magnificent organ, which is in the centre of the cathedral with a long aisle on each side.  An added bonus was that the organ was being played while we were there and it was lovely to hear it.  It was also lovely to see the Christmas trees with lights.

Nativity scene in front of the altar on one side of the organ

View of the organ from the choir stall side of the cathedral

Amazing vaulted ceiling in a side section of the cathedral

We also went up a short stone spiral staircase into a small side room with old paintings on the ceiling

and an angel on the wall