View allAll Photos Tagged Feathers
As I walked around the park I saw a number of Mallard ducks resting on the grass.
I found this information about this process:
Moulting is a process of shedding and regrowing feathers. Adult birds are shedding their worn out feathers from this year's breeding season and growing new, strong, warm feathers to see them through the winter. This year's young are losing their first feathers and moulting into their adult coats.
Feathers wear out during a bird's busy year. Flying, rubbing against neighbouring feathers or trees, general weakening due to exposure to sun, along with parasites, such as feather lice, all cause damage to feathers.
A comparison of feather wear shows that pigmented (dark) feathers wear more slowly than white ones.
Feathers grow from follicles in the skin (like hair) and the growth of a new feather from the bottom of the follicle pushes the old one out. The process is a gradual one and occurs in sequence across an area of skin to ensure that there are no ‘bald’ patches.
This means that a full moult may be spread out over a considerable time period, which is fine if there is a plentiful food supply, and if the bird is not a migrant.
Most birds will moult completely during a year, sometimes split into two or three moult periods, usually before and after breeding.
Moulting is a drain on a bird’s resources. It takes energy to grow new feathers, there may be heat loss when feathers are shed, affecting insulation, and when flight feathers are lost, more energy may be needed for flight.
Unlike most other birds, ducks, geese and swans lose all their flight feathers at once, rendering them flightless for a period.
In ducks, to provide some protection for the brightly-coloured males, the moult starts with their bright body feathers. These are replaced by dowdy brown ones, making them look much like females.
This eclipse plumage is why in mid- to late summer, it seems that all the drakes have gone. Once the flight feathers have regrown, the birds moult again, and by October the full colours have been regained and the various species of ducks are easily recognisable.
Female ducks lose their flight feathers later, after the young become independent.
This is the time of year when they moult.
(source: RSPB website)
I like to capture birds in different poses other than just perched on a branch. I was watching this dove through my lens for a long time and all at once it stretched a wing and one side of its body. The different types of feathers came into view. Even the downy under feathers.
feather display
a morning stretch for a mourning dove
exposing the details
Image and haiku by John Henry Gremmer
Good morning, Flickr friends:)
This is a collection of feathers from our yard, see if you can guess the birds!
Thank you all for your well wishes, so kind:) I haven't seen your lovely images but over time will try...
Theme: Flatlay - ME loves MT
Thank you for visiting!
Whilst watching a pair of swans preening in the morning light I saw these two small feathers floating on the surface of the water, having been plucked out during preening.
its a feather from a bird, but I do not know exactly which one, he was already gone ;)
7DWF - Monday - Free Theme
One lone feather on an unusually calm day at Tsehum Harbour, BC.
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs, etc. without my permission.
Notebook in vivid colours and a parrot feather which a friend brought back from a holiday long ago. I thought the two go together for obvious reasons
Adult male Blackbird. As he is completely black and hasn't retained any juvenile feathers in the wing he was hatched before last year
Macro Mondays: "Feather"
A feather I found in the yard many years ago. Lit with a constant LED.
The image is about 7.5 cm (3 inches) on the long edge.
Zeiss Touit 2.8 50M E-Mount - f/6.3
A nice little feather found while walking Jake The Dog. Feather is 2.75" Long. Image is 2.66" W.
In the forest there are many magic things
You just need to be there
Be there in the moment
Observe
Breathe with your belly
Not putting your nose in your phone
Not even deep diving into your camera
That must wait
I of course had to let go of Aiko's leash, how could I capture this lil one if the leash was jumping and pulling me
Magic moments are precious
Come on, let me see you shake your tail feather
For Macro Monday's "abstract" theme.
After the peacock that I posted a couple of days ago enjoyed his fine dining on grubs in our front lawn this week, I thought a peacock feather might be an appropriate subject for the "abstract" theme.
Fun fact for the day: Peacock feathers are covered in microscopic crystal-like structures which help make the iridescent colours off their feathers shine! They are literally bejewelled!
Happy new week everyone.
PS - are you singing Blue's Brothers in your head right now ;)