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Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Birds - Ducks Page 1
Image Taken on 15 Apr 2012
at 17:53 Image of day on 16 May 2012
What's going on here?
The Grey squirrel is definitely on the back of the female mallard duck,
while the male duck stands behind - top of head at the tip of the squirrel
tail and shadow of beak on the tree.
We can only imagine what the squirrel thinks it is doing!
 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120516_d5c_20120415_1753_164_fb2 grey squirrel on back of mallard duck female with male behind (head shadow on tree) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image of day on 01 May 2005
These three male mallard are going around as a group now that
'their girls' are probably all sitting on eggs.
.jpg)
Ref: 20050501_d3e_15270 fb1 3 male mallard 2005apr28_16-06-08(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image of day on 14 May 2005
A number of mallard pairs have re-appeared presumably after
failed nesting attempts. The 'boys' hang around the 'girls'
while the girls feed up to make a new batch of eggs.
.jpg)
Ref: 20050514_d3e_16006 fb1 mallard drake guarding duck 2005may11_05-27-28(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 May 2006
at 18:07 Image of day on 14 Jun 2006
We never tire of Mallard Drakes in Flight. He will
soon be moulting and losing those lovely colours until
Autumn.
.jpg)
Ref: 20060614_d10_20060529_1807_472 mallard drake in flight(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 06 Apr 2008
at 08:45 Image of day on 22 Apr 2008
The snow here has not lasted long, but a quick rush out with the
camera produced some rewarding results. The 'Duck & Daffodils' sounds
like it ought to be the name of a country pub.
.jpg)
Ref: 20080422_p34_20080406_0845_681 mallard drake with snow and daffodils(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Apr 2006
at 16:39 Image of day on 11 Apr 2006
There appears to be just one pair of Mallard ducks on the plot.
The female is forever feeding and is absent first thing in the
morning, so we assume she is making and laying eggs in a nest
nearby. Here she is sparkling in the late afternoon sun.
.jpg)
Ref: 20060411_d3e_20060405_1639_115 fb1 mallard duck(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 07 Apr 2007
at 10:28 Image of day on 08 May 2007
There seem to be 3 drakes and 2 ducks lurking round the site. Here a
pair drowse in unusually warm early April sunshine.
.jpg)
Ref: 20070508_d10_20070407_1028_004 mallard duck and drake dozing on dragon pond edge(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 08 Mar 2012
at 10:29 Image of day on 13 Apr 2012
Through the kitchen window, a female mallard duck head down in
the mud feeding (what else) as the male watches the world - and her.
.jpg)
Ref: 20120413_fj1_20120308_1029_021 mallard duck female dabbling in mud as male guards(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 17 May 2011
at 17:54 Image of day on 17 Jun 2011
Incubating females leave their nests only for a hurried feed.
Here she is dabbling, feet paddling like mad and pushing up a
ridge of water ahead of her.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110617_df1_20110517_1754_111 mallard duck female dabbling in round pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 07 Apr 2011
at 17:37 Image of day on 30 Apr 2011
What? Female chasing the males? Genuine single frame.
 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110430_df1_20110407_1737_349 mallard duck female following 2 males in flight (discontinuous 4 of 5) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Mar 2012
at 16:28 Image of day on 05 Apr 2012
A Mallard duck female circling the plot waiting for the 2-legs (us!) to 'vanish'
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120405_df1_20120305_1628_169 mallard duck female in flight (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 18 Mar 2012
at 16:09 Image of day on 16 Apr 2012
A female Mallard duck showing the signs of her 'boyfriend's
affections' on the nape of her neck where he has gripped her
while having his 'evil' ways with her.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120416_df1_20120318_1609_238 mallard duck female in flight (damaged nape feathers)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 06 Apr 2011
at 18:22 Image of day on 30 Apr 2011
One pair of Mallard ducks don't let us get closer than a few
metres but seem to realise we are 'harmless'. Here this female
saw us at the meadow post providing a later than usual baiting,
and decided to fly in for a look.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110430_df1_20110406_1822_195 mallard duck female landing on grass facing camera 2 of 4 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Apr 2012
at 12:16 Image of day on 30 Apr 2012
One of the female Mallard ducks has made a nest in the Daffodils on an island.
This image from the bank shows her head to the left (eye peeping
between 2 fronds). We found her by knowing Mallard ducks like to
nest there, and will leave her alone - the island is 'off limits'
for a few weeks!
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120430_df1_20120405_1216_001 mallard duck female on nest within daffodils on round pond island (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 06 Apr 2012
at 18:04 Image of day on 30 Apr 2012
We bought the least expensive Thermal camera we could find to
help us find nests. This is the thermal image (rather wider angle
than the cropped natural image) of a concealed Mallard duck nest
from maybe 8 metres away, highlighting her presence very well.
 (orig)(@240).jpg)
Ref: 20120430_ir1_20120406_1804_007 mallard duck female on nest within daffodils on round pond island (thermal - air temp 10c) (orig)(@240).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Mar 2012
at 12:49 Image of day on 27 Apr 2012
She took no notice of all the splashing about, quietly working through her down,
contour and flight feathers
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120427_df1_20120324_1249_151 mallard duck female preening on bank of round pond (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Mar 2011
at 10:34 Image of day on 21 Apr 2011
Female mallard ducks make a raucous noise compared to the polite
quacks of the males. This one was having a LOT to say.
.jpg)
Ref: 20110421_dc1_20110323_1034_008 mallard duck female quacking(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Apr 2012
at 10:42 Image of day on 28 May 2012
This female Mallard duck (with male a couple of metres left of
her) took off as we approached the pond. This montage is of the
2nd and 4th images (from a set of 9) with the bird accurately
positioned (apart from the Lily fronds blowing about in the wind).
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20120528_df1_20120430_1042_106+108 mallard duck female takeoff from main pond @7fps 2+4 of 9 (accurate montage 300ms apart)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 18 Apr 2011
at 12:38 Image of day on 20 May 2011
A nest on a Pond island was the source of 13 duckings. These
photos taken around lunch time, the whole family had disappeared
by evening and we have had no more sightings. This is quite
normal - the mother takes them off to the brook 200m away
and a larger (spring fed) pond beyond.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110520_df1_20110418_1238_007 mallard duck female with 13 ducklings on round pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 18 Apr 2011
at 12:39 Image of day on 20 May 2011
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110520_df1_20110418_1239_025 mallard duck female with 13 ducklings on round pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
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