By Daily Mail Reporter


This clumsy duck came over all of a flutter when he spotted a mirror image of himself reflecting back off the surface of the water.

He was so stunned by what he saw that he lost his balance, performed an impressive version of the splits and was sent sliding across the surface of the water.

German photographer Dr Udo Schlottmann was on hand to snap the startled duck trying to reach his lady on the other side of the pond near his home in Dortmund, Germany.

Double duck: This mallard came over all of a flutter when he spotted a mirror image of himself in a frozen pond

The icy surface of the pond formed a challenging runway for the mallard to make his way across the water.

Displaying a beautiful emerald head, the duck's first few steps were taken carefully and the shocked look on its face was enough to rustle a few feathers.

Udo, 68, took up photography eight years ago when he retired from his career as a doctor and was thrilled to be able to capture the funny moment when he was out for a lunch time stroll.

Steady: The duck performs an impressive version of the splits as he slides around on the frozen surface

Tentative steps: German photographer Dr Udo Schlottmann was on hand to snap the startled duck trying to reach his lady on the other side of the pond

He said: 'Just a few days before I took this photo, the whole pond was completely iced over so it would have been really funny trying to watch the mallard skate across the pond.

'He tried a few times to make it across to the other side but couldn't manage it.

'After he learnt how to keep his balance and got used to seeing his reflection, he finally made it to his lady on the other side of the water.'

One step at a time: The icy surface of the pond proved a real challenge for the unsteady bird


source:dailymail