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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.


Ref: 20090402_db1_20090316_1738_046 mallard female and 2 males in flight at sunset(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 06 Mar 2009 at 10:57    Image of day on 23 Mar 2009

A piece of behaviour we have not seen/noticed before is the male mallard duck helping the hungry female (eating to make eggs) by stiring up the water with his feet but not feeding himself. Note the bubbles as she (left) filters food out of the water and ripples around him (right) as he paddles like mad keeping still.
The cooperation between mallard males and females breeding on a quiet pond contrast markedly with the disgraceful frenzies at over-populated public park lakes.


Ref: 20090323_dc1_20090306_1057_028 mallard female filter feeding making bubbles while male stirs water with feet without feeding(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 09 Apr 2008 at 16:02    Image of day on 25 Apr 2008

... and now Her ...


Ref: 20080425_da1_20080409_1602_020 mallard female in flight(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Apr 2008 at 17:46    Image of day on 19 Apr 2008

A Mallard duck (the female) leaping from the water in the evening sunlight. The background are some flower daffodils and silver birch trunks.


Ref: 20080419_da1_20080401_1746_082 mallard female taking off from main pond(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Dec 2011 at 12:40    Image of day on 31 Jan 2012

For a couple of days the main pond was visited by just this one male Mallard Duck with 2 females. While the females are building themselves up the male 'guards' them - i.e. tries to keep them for himself come Spring!


Ref: 20120131_dc1_20111223_1240_031 mallard male guarding 2 females feeding (crop)(r+mb id@768).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 ...


Ref: 20080425_da1_20080409_1602_015 mallard male in flight(r+mb id@576).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.


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 25 Mar 2010 at 16:33    Image of day on 25 Apr 2010

A single mallard drake at the edge of a pond. We don't know whether he had a female nearby on eggs. Traditionally the males keep away from the nest so as not to give away it's location to predators.


Ref: 20100425_df1_20100325_1633_166 mallard male on edge of duck pond glistening in evening sunshine(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 15 Jun 2009 at 17:45    Image of day on 16 Jul 2009

Unusual view of a mallard drake. Maybe he has spotted a tasty worm to catch. Out of frame in this crop a female mallard is pattering along in the dark behind him The bright yellow beak has faded but the orange feet remain vivid.


Ref: 20090716_d35_20090615_1745_047_fb4 mallard male walking in crouch followed by female (web crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 06 Feb 2012 at 16:50    Image of day on 14 Mar 2012

For a few months at the start of most years we are graced by a few mallard ducks. Normally they stick to feeding at the ponds and waddling along the paths, but when the ponds are frozen they seek out other sources of food.


Ref: 20120314_d5c_20120206_1650_046_fb2 2 mallard males and 1 female (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 22 May 2009 at 09:34    Image of day on 17 Jun 2009

And here they spent most of the day alternately on the bank of the main pond and then feeding in it outside the kitchen window.


Ref: 20090617_db1_20090522_0934_112 mallard mother and 3 of 4 ducklings (2 preening) in grass by edge of dragon pond (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 07 May 2006 at 15:53    Image of day on 15 May 2006

This pair of mallard seem almost 'tame' and swim quietly to the other side of any pond we approach. Bit different to the 'peck your ankles for food' birds at a local park though!


Ref: 20060515_p32_20060507_1553_327 pair of mallard on duck pond (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image of day on 25 Feb 2005

1 or 2 pairs of Mallard duck are now regularly visiting the ponds in the mornings and evenings. But it started with these 4 pairs back on 8 Feb 2005. The moorhen are not pleased and hang around sulking.


Ref: 20050225_c740_052080021 8 mallard on main pond 2005feb08_07-55-34(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 10 Mar 2012 at 16:47    Image of day on 13 Apr 2012

2 frames and 10 minutes apart this pair of mallard ducks (almost) made a perfect pairing face to face. We often see them from a distance like this, but one will always have triggered the camera before the other arrive, so we don't get the joint photo


Ref: 20120413_d5c_20120310_1647_116+1658_118_fb2 mallard pair 10 minutes apart (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 15 Apr 2008 at 12:04    Image of day on 02 May 2008

This pair of mallard have been feeding together in various ponds for some days. After a couple of hours in the main pond they pulled out onto the bank near the house for a drowse in the sunshine.


Ref: 20080502_db1_20080415_1204_057 mallard pair drowsing after feeding(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 26 Mar 2008 at 12:33    Image of day on 13 Apr 2008

At least two pairs of mallard visit the ponds and other areas. This pair moved out of the back-garden pond into the violets as we approached, thought about flying off (agitated bobbing etc.), but calmed down and we took this as we left the area, and they stayed for another hour or so.


Ref: 20080413_da1_20080326_1233_049 mallard pair in violets(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 06 Mar 2006 at 12:19    Image of day on 18 Mar 2006

Mallard ducks are paired up for the Spring. This pair are sunning themselves on the island of the main pond on top of a pile of removed reed & lily stems.


Ref: 20060318_p20_20060306_1219_346 mallard pair on dragon pond island(r+mb id@576).jpg

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