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Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image Taken on 19 Aug 2023 at 09:18    Image of day on 03 Nov 2023

One of about 4 groups of similar fungi fruiting bodies in a few square metres.


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Image Taken on 09 Oct 2023 at 12:15    Image of day on 23 Nov 2023

Fungi are fascinating (and VERY important members of the wildlife community) but we have no expertise in identifying them.


Ref: 20231123_df3_20231009_1215_010 fungi on western base of duck mound(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Jun 2015 at 18:03    Image of day on 01 Sep 2015

The Grey squirrel seems to have gone into an attacking frenzy against this poor innocent female Mallard duck just looking for a 'bite' to eat.


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Image Taken on 30 May 2015 at 18:15    Image of day on 04 Aug 2015

Genuine single frame of this nonchalant Male Mallard duck as a Grey Squirrel leaps at it with his claws exposed. We have NO IDEA what happened next!


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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!


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 Taken on 21 May 2014 at 12:17    Image of day on 25 Jul 2014

The warmest pond had a scattering of Large Red Damselflies ('Large' being a relative term!) laying eggs in the pond weed. The female is on the leaf. The segments of the abdomen hinge without any ill-effects.


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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.


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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.


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.


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Image Taken on 17 Apr 2019 at 10:18    Image of day on 11 May 2019

... her mate swim backwards and forwards in quiet 'guard duty', providing a chance to catch his reflection.


Ref: 20190511_df4_20190417_1018_017 mallard drake on main pond with reflection (crop)(r+mb id@768).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.


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.


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.


Ref: 20070508_d10_20070407_1028_004 mallard duck and drake dozing on dragon pond edge(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 26 Mar 2022 at 08:29    Image of day on 27 Apr 2022

Next morning we find one of the Mallard Ducks pairs quietly drowsing on the still water of the main pond.
Trying to catch a 'perfect' rippleless reflection was impossible. Both water and birds were completely still, but the birds were continuously creating a ripple from their breasts. It seems likely that this is the birds invisibly breathing.


Ref: 20220427_df3_20220326_0829_107 mallard duck and drake drowsing on main pond (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 26 Mar 2017 at 18:07    Image of day on 03 May 2017

We mostly see Mallard Ducks feeding in the main pond, but here a female (the edge of the male a metre left is cropped out) exploring one of the feeding sites at the end of the daylight.


Ref: 20170503_e64_20170326_1807_020_fb2 mallard duck female(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 15 May 2015 at 17:57    Image of day on 11 Jul 2015

A female Mallard Duck and two males appeared near the 11kV power lines with much flurry and quacking. They disappeared behind the hedges, and a few minutes later 1 pair landed next to the crop without angst.


Ref: 20150711_df3_20150515_1757_171+174+177 mallard duck female & 2 males in competitive flight 1+4+7 of 7 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Apr 2020 at 17:53    Image of day on 06 May 2020

A triplet of Mallard ducks - the 'standard' 1 female and 2 males spent several minutes circling the area.
Unexpectedly they decided to touch down in the margin of the field to our east. Here the female is at the left, with one male about to land and the other doing a rather inelegant bellyflop. Mallard ducks are not very good at landing on solid ground but 'any landing you can walk away from is good'.


Ref: 20200506_df3_20200416_1753_018 mallard duck female + 2 males landing after extended flight (adjusted crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Apr 2024 at 06:17    Image of day on 24 May 2024

An apparently unaccompanied female Mallard Duck out looking for breakfast at the hedge bottom.


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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.


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.


Ref: 20110617_df1_20110517_1754_111 mallard duck female dabbling in round pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

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