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Birds - Ducks Page 8
Image Taken on 30 Apr 2014
at 18:15 Image of day on 25 Jun 2014
This pair of Mallard ducks are feeding at a site between their 2
favourite ponds, watched by a Jackdaw.
Ref: 20140625_e62_20140430_1815_109_fb5 mallard duck pair + jackdaw (adjusted crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Mar 2022
at 15:55 Image of day on 24 Apr 2022
This pair of Mallard Ducks swim to the edge of the Round Pond, feeling
no fear from the Rook or Wood Pigeon.
Ref: 20220424_bu5_20220325_1555_325_sc1 mallard duck pair + rook + wood pigeon(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 27 Mar 2021
at 16:43 Image of day on 20 Apr 2021
Mallard duck feeding and the Drake waits on guard duty.
Ref: 20210420_e64_20210327_1643_153_fb2 mallard duck pair - female feeding guarded by male (adjusted crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 10 Apr 2021
at 18:18 Image of day on 07 May 2021
A pair of Mallard Ducks visit the meadow site still scattered with food.
Ref: 20210507_e6a_20210410_1818_378_fb5 mallard duck pair arriving fresh from pond with duckweed(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 09 May 2024
at 18:57 Image of day on 01 Jun 2024
A sort of 'Frankenduck' - we have several pics of these two making their way
around our patch over a few days.
Ref: 20240601_e6a_20240509_1857_064_fb5 mallard duck pair at meadow site(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 10 May 2024
at 18:23 Image of day on 01 Jun 2024
This is our favourite 'togetherness' pic.
Ref: 20240601_e6a_20240510_1823_147_fb5 mallard duck pair at meadow site(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Apr 2023
at 17:58 Image of day on 24 May 2023
Togetherness, Mallard Duck style.
Ref: 20230524_e6a_20230413_1758_076_fb5 mallard duck pair at meadow site(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Mar 2021
at 17:48 Image of day on 20 Apr 2021
Feeding female Mallard Duck along with her guardian male.
When you see Mallard ducks in public ponds the males mainly seem
to be bullies trying to mate with any female that appears, and sometimes
females are accidentally drowned by heaps of competing males.
But in the more natural surroundings, here the males are very supportive
to their chosen 'girl'.
Ref: 20210420_e64_20210323_1748_120_fb2 mallard duck pair at woodland site at sunset(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Apr 2024
at 17:26 Image of day on 02 May 2024
One of our Mallard Duck pairs take a swim along the flooded ditch.
Ref: 20240502_bu7_20240409_1726_091 mallard duck pair entering at south hedge gap into flooded ditch(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Feb 2012
at 16:41 Image of day on 02 Mar 2012
The iced-over ponds have been cleared of corn grain, so these
Mallard ducks are having a look for some more grub at this nearby
feeding site and stayed for about 10 minutes.
Ref: 20120302_d5c_20120201_1641_105_fb2 mallard duck pair feeding (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Feb 2012
at 16:51 Image of day on 02 Mar 2012
The iced-over ponds have been cleared of corn grain, so these
Mallard ducks are having a look for some more grub at this nearby
feeding site. This edge-of-frame image was the last over about
10 minutes.
Ref: 20120302_d5c_20120201_1651_108_fb2 mallard duck pair feeding (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Apr 2015
at 16:28 Image of day on 25 May 2015
We are becoming very fond of this pair of Mallard ducks, even if
they do fly away in terror if we get within 15 metres or so. He
actively protects her and fights off other males that try to mate
with her, and they immediately swim together when the crisis is
over. We are sure animal behaviourists would tell us that he is
only guarding his mating 'rights', and he is, but they stick
together more than most pairs of ducks.
Ref: 20150525_e64_20150401_1628_005_fb2 mallard duck pair feeding at log(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Mar 2015
at 16:55 Image of day on 18 May 2015
At the end of the day the 'pair' of Mallard ducks doing a little
togetherness feeding. Once she is on eggs he will leave her with
her camouflage feathers so his bright colours don't highlight the
nest. Sometimes they meet up and he guards her as she feeds and
preens frantically to get back on the eggs.
Ref: 20150518_e64_20150330_1655_073_fb2 mallard duck pair feeding at log(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 17 Mar 2016
at 16:34 Image of day on 23 Apr 2016
The female Mallard duck (right) still with 'duckweed' on her back
looks for food at the log, guarded by 'her' male.
It looks like they were too early for the 'teatime' delivery of food.
Ref: 20160423_e62_20160317_1634_011_fb5 mallard duck pair feeding at meadow site(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Feb 2012
at 15:29 Image of day on 21 Mar 2012
The Mallard drakes (males) have now taken to squabbling over the
females at the various ponds.
Male mallards have a quiet little quack.
The female (here with beak open) produces a raucous racket - lungs of brass!
Ref: 20120321_d5c_20120222_1529_087_fb2 mallard duck pair feeding beside log (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Mar 2012
at 17:54 Image of day on 25 Apr 2012
We have often commented on the quiet co-existence of pheasants
with rooks & jackdaws. Several times now we have seen the same with
the mallard ducks. Far more Mallard activity this year - no
moorhen are about to harass them!
Ref: 20120425_sg2_20120319_1754_050_sc2 mallard duck pair feeding in the middle of 4 rooks and 3 (of 4) jackdaws (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 26 Mar 2018
at 18:07 Image of day on 06 May 2018
A true 'togetherness' moment for this pair of Mallard ducks sharing
the supper table.
Ref: 20180506_e62_20180326_1807_080_fb5 mallard duck pair feeding together (crop 1)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 21 Mar 2018
at 18:11 Image of day on 29 Apr 2018
In the rough and tumble of local duck ponds you rarely see pairs of Mallard ducks
quietly together. But in the quieter rural settings they spend 'quality time'
together until she has to spend most of her time incubating her eggs. He then
stays away from her camouflaged plumage so as not to attract nest predators.
Ref: 20180429_e62_20180321_1811_135_fb5 mallard duck pair feeding together(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Feb 2011
at 10:55 Image of day on 27 Mar 2011
A few pairs of mallard ducks visit our ponds but these are NOT
town park ducks and flee immediately at the sight of a human.
This unusual juxtaposition of a pair of birds flying close
together took our fancy.
Ref: 20110327_df1_20110224_1055_015 mallard duck pair flying close together(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Mar 2021
at 17:44 Image of day on 19 Apr 2021
A pair of Mallard ducks flying off together from the Duck-shaped pond.
Ref: 20210419_bu8_20210329_1744_046 mallard duck pair flying from duck pond(r+mb id@576).jpg
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