OUR green urban spaces are so very precious, and no more so than at Tullibody where the Delph Pond acts as a magnet for a variety of waterfowl, enabling the local community to get close to wildlife.

On my most recent visit, several remarkably tame goosanders patrolled the water.

Goosanders are normally shy birds and I still haven't fathomed why they find Delph Pond so attractive in winter.

Presumably there are some fish to help sustain them, but the pond is not really big enough to supply a decent quantity.

In another peculiar twist, the goosanders here are attracted by food thrown by passers-by into the water for ducks.

Given that goosanders are supposed to be exclusively fish eaters, this is most unusual behaviour – but that's the thing about nature, there are always conundrums and exceptions to the rule.

Mallards busied themselves by the water's edge, continually up-ending as they searched the shallow silt for food.

We tend to take mallards for granted because they are so ubiquitous, which is a shame, for they are such charismatic ducks, with wonderful intricate plumage.

Other birds caught the eye, too, including moorhens treading the reedy margins with their impossibly large feet, a pair of mute swans, and several elegant black-headed gulls swooping low over the water on grey-flashed wings.

Delph Pond is a like a breath of fresh air, and it is always a wonderful place to visit: a watery haven that is the wild beating heart of Tullibody.