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Birds, Insects & Bats in flight (outdoors) Page 43
Image Taken on 14 Mar 2013
at 12:26 Image of day on 21 Apr 2013
This pair of Mallard ducks were photographed at about 7 fps.
Ducks really do fly fast - this is half a second of flight in an
accurate montage (based on cloud perceived motion being MUCH slower).
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20130421_df1_20130314_1226_024-027 mallard duck pair in flight 07-10 of 10 (accurate montage @ 7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Mar 2017
at 16:48 Image of day on 03 May 2017
A slightly delayed feeding time - a pair of Mallard ducks fly by (at 7 fps so
they fly at s-p-e-e-d) but decide against landing until the humans have gone.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20170503_df3_20170324_1648_045-047 mallard duck pair in flight 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 20 May 2020
at 07:18 Image of day on 10 Jun 2020
A pair of Mallard Ducks whizz by.
This is all in less than one third of a second - Ducks fly FAST!
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20200610_df3_20200520_0718_141-143 mallard duck pair in flight 4-6 of 6 (accurate montage @7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 27 May 2019
at 17:32 Image of day on 05 Jul 2019
A genuine moment from 3 Mallard Ducks in flight. The female (left) and two males
flew past, perhaps 100m away.
 in flight 2 of 3 (crop in tight formation)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190705_df5_20190527_1732_049 3 mallard ducks (female + 2 males) in flight 2 of 3 (crop in tight formation)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 27 May 2019
at 17:32 Image of day on 05 Jul 2019
A few seconds later, this time against some blue sky, the female has moved to the front.
 in flight 3 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190705_df5_20190527_1732_066 3 mallard ducks (female + 2 males) in flight 3 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 19 May 2013
at 12:07 Image of day on 30 Jun 2013
The Mallard ducks are still with us - we expect them to vanish
when they moult. We have not seen any ducklings yet and may not -
most years they are promptly marched down to the local brook dodging
the traffic :-(
Here is a typical flyby - a female with 2 males. Females seem to
be able to fly faster than the males as here (female in the
middle) - she started behind the males and ended up in front.
 5-7 of 9 (arbitrary montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20130630_df1_20130519_1207_438-440 3 mallard ducks in flight (female between 2 males) 5-7 of 9 (arbitrary montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Apr 2016
at 16:33 Image of day on 05 Jun 2016
The two Mallard Drakes chasing one (female) Duck is a fairly common sight.
This skyful of ducks is an accurate montage of 6 sequential frames of the action.
The female ends at the lower left and is the lowest bird for the previous 5 images.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20160605_df3_20160430_1633_034-039 3 mallard ducks in flight 1-6 of 6 (accurate montage @ 6fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 10 Sep 2020
at 07:07 Image of day on 24 Oct 2020
Mallard ducks moult by losing all their flight feathers and staying safe on the water.
As they end the moult they start 'exercising' in groups for flights lasting several minutes.
Here a group of 4 (plus a 'tail-end-Charlie' we have left out) flew round the brook several
times, a lot of the time with their wings beating in accurate synchrony as here.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20201024_d73_20200910_0707_124-126 4 mallard ducks in flight with wings in unison 1-3 of 4 (approx montage @10fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Apr 2009
at 16:20 Image of day on 26 Apr 2009
... and an unrelated flight on the next day.
.jpg)
Ref: 20090426_db1_20090404_1620_157 mallard female & 2 males in flight(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Mar 2009
at 17:38 Image of day on 02 Apr 2009
When walk about at this time of year we often disturb mallard ducks
at one or more ponds. These are 'wild' ducks rather than park ducks
looking for handouts! The female is between two males.
.jpg)
Ref: 20090402_db1_20090316_1738_020 mallard female and 2 males in flight at sunset(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Mar 2009
at 17:38 Image of day on 02 Apr 2009
The females often keep going until none but the fittest male is
left. Here the male at the rear is beginning to tire.
.jpg)
Ref: 20090402_db1_20090316_1738_046 mallard female and 2 males in flight at sunset(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Apr 2008
at 16:02 Image of day on 25 Apr 2008
... and now Her ...
.jpg)
Ref: 20080425_da1_20080409_1602_020 mallard female in flight(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Apr 2008
at 16:02 Image of day on 25 Apr 2008
The Mallard duck pairs often take off together, but not so far
close enough for a satisfactory 'pair of ducks in flight' pic. So
here they are one at a time having panned from one to the other.
First Him ...
.jpg)
Ref: 20080425_da1_20080409_1602_015 mallard male in flight(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Apr 2016
at 10:01 Image of day on 05 Jun 2016
A Male Mallard duck flies by making his soft quack as he goes.
Those lovely colours will soon be moulted away into the summer 'eclipse'.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20160605_df3_20160430_1001_006 mallard male in flight 1 of 7 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Apr 2016
at 10:01 Image of day on 05 Jun 2016
A Male Mallard duck flies by making his soft quack as he goes.
Those lovely colours will soon be moulted away into the summer 'eclipse'.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20160605_df3_20160430_1001_006-009 mallard male in flight 1-4 of 7 (close spaced montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Mar 2010
at 16:34 Image of day on 25 Apr 2010
The same bird decided the photographers (on their way to chuck
some food into the pond) were altogether close enough, and off he
went.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20100425_df1_20100325_1634_176-180 mallard male in flight passing trees 06-10 of 14 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 17 Jul 2017
at 09:49 Image of day on 31 Aug 2017
We have 2 types of 'wild rose', a pink variety which flowers first, and then this
white petalled type here adorned with a couple of nicely symmetrical
Marmalade Hover-flies typically 12mm (under half an inch) in length.
.jpg)
Ref: 20170831_df3_20170717_0949_004 2 marmalade hover-flies on white wild rose flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Jul 2019
at 15:50 Image of day on 04 Sep 2019
A pleasingly symmetrical arrangement of Marmalade Hover-flies on a single Thistle flower.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190904_df3_20190715_1550_029 5 marmalade hover-flies symmetrically arranged on thistle flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Jul 2019
at 15:50 Image of day on 04 Sep 2019
In this closer view of one of the Marmalade Hover-flies you can see detail of the
flower's centre and a scattering of pollen on the back of the insect to hopefully
fertilise another plant's flower.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20190904_df3_20190715_1550_029 5 marmalade hover-flies symmetrically arranged on thistle flower (crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Jul 2021
at 11:14 Image of day on 17 Aug 2021
The Marmalade Hover-fly stops on this buttercup, only a bit bigger than the insect.
.jpg)
Ref: 20210817_d73_20210709_1114_089 marmalade hover-fly feeding on buttercup flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
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