View allAll Photos Tagged SmallFish
Mandarin Duck / aix galericulata. Straws Bridge, Derbyshire. 29/04/20.
There have been a pair of Mandarin ducks appearing on and off at a local lake since April 10th. At first they were inseparable and on a few occasions I saw them displaying, albeit rather half-heartedly! Later in the month only the male could be seen so I assumed the female was holed up on a nest somewhere locally. Maybe that was the case - but then I noticed, a few days before making this image, that he was devoting all his time and energy on a female Mallard. He followed her about, seeing other birds off with aggressive chases and indulging in yet more displaying.
I'm left wondering :-
- Is he transferring attention to another bird because his mate deserted/died ?
- Is he playing away from home and testing out a bit of polygamy ?
- Is he an immature bird and just very confused ?
All ideas welcomed :-)
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Slavonian Grebe / podiceps auritus. Straws Bridge, Derbyshire. 20/02/21.
'POP UP GREBE.'
Something a bit different ...
a grab shot of when this ultra confiding winter visitor popped up about 6 feet in front of me!
Copyright by Zooman2009.
All rights reserved.
Anyone wishing to use this photograph.
Please contact kylecamera@yahoo.co.uk
Black-headed Gull / larus ridibundus. Straws Bridge, Derbyshire. 09/12/15.
'IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LiIKE (ChristmasX)) SPRINGTIME'..........
This B.H Gull is rapidly developing a chocolate brown hood, more usually acquired in the Spring. I wonder if this is linked to the warm winter we are experiencing so far?
Water Rail / rallus aquaticus. Calke Park, Derbyshire. 16/03/20.
I imagine the Water Rail at Calke is enjoying the peace and quiet afforded by Covid-19 restrictions. On my visits there earlier this year, it appeared from the reedbed about every 40 minutes or so, but never for long. For such fierce looking birds they are extremely nervous and wary. It doesn't take much for them to rush back into cover.
Mandarin Duck / aix galericulata. Wollaton Park, Nottinghamshire. 05/04/18
This male was captured with his orange 'sails' up as he pursued his mate downstream. Not once did he let her stray too far away from him, especially since there was an unattached male stalking her, desperate to win her affections.
Si Hai park - Shenzhen, China
Textures by SophieG - www.flickr.com/photos/-smallfish-/4176231585/ and
encounter - Laura: www.flickr.com/photos/dontellaura/5551350385/
Black-headed Gull / larus ridibundus. Straws Bridge, Derbyshire. 08/02/21.
'TURNING A BLIND EYE.'
An image I made a month ago during the icy spell.
My local lake was almost completely frozen over and the large winter gull population there relied heavily on human handouts. During rest sessions, the gulls would loaf about on the ice or perch on the wooden rail at the front of the car park. I thought they looked good in the driving snow, whether the wintery sun was out or not.
Mandarin Duck / aix galericulata. Wollaton Park, Nottinghamshire. 05/04/18.
The last Mandarin Duck image of this set for a while.
Made almost two years ago, this drake proved to be very obliging because he was completely preoccupied in pursuing a mate.
He protected her from a determined suitor, bathed and swam with her and performed ritualised courtship displays. I couldn't believe my luck at seeing such a range of behaviours so close, so clearly and for so long. I had real difficulty in restraining myself from hitting the shutter!
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
~Spiritualized~
20.11.09
Well, I'd left the drowned girl down there a long time.
This would have worked as a kind of farewell to the 365 shot, if I could have persuaded her to hold her breath for another couple of days. Ah well. Timing.
Textures all from my free texture set.
Near The Gulf Of Mexico
Naples, Florida
USA
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada.
The bird is predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.
This non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. The Muscovy duck's diet consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes.
This is an aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source.
The Muscovy duck has benefited from nest boxes in Mexico, but is somewhat uncommon in much of the east of its range due to excessive hunting. It is not considered a globally threatened species by the IUCN however, as it is widely distributed. -Wikipedia
Common Greenshank / tringa nebularia. Morston Quay, Norfolk. 12/03/22.
'THAT MOMENT WHEN YOUR EYES REFUSE TO OPEN.'
Just this one Greenshank present but giving excellent views of itself. With a gradual, measured approach using grounded boats as cover, I was able to make some images.
Here the Greenshank was captured having a squinty peep at its surroundings whilst adjusting position ever so slightly.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. 16/05/19.
'CONCENTRATION.'
A splendid king of fishers!
In full hunting mode, he studied the water below for shadows, shapes or movement. On full alert, he showed exemplary concentration ... and had cause to. Nearby his mate tended a new brood ... there were mouths to be fed.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Black Guillemots / cepphus grylle. Oban, Scotland. 14/05/22.
'A CLOSE PARTNERSHIP.'
I relished being able to sit on the jetty steps only a short distance above this pair of Black Guillemots. You can see how totally relaxed and confiding they were in my company. Occasionally they would interact by touching beaks gently, but most of the time seemed content to just be close together.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. 16/05/19
It's always a treat to see a perched Kingfisher that is relaxed enough to sit awhile, rather than a flash of electric-blue disappearing into the distance. This striking male obliged consistently throughout a day back in May, close to his nesting site.
(I kept on and on counting my blessings!)
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
On Thursdays I find photos that I love, that inspire me, that bring a smile to my face, or that give me a sense of peace. I wanted to share these wonderful works of art from some truly awesome photographers. Please stop by their streams by clicking on the links below...
1. Hanging my heart out to dry / Explored, 2. 78/365: Anyone who had a heart, 3. heart-starter, 4. "The love you take is equal to the love you make", 5. Heart and sew, 6. There are no rules, Just follow your heart....., 7. Heart, 8. "Spread your love everywhere you go.", 9. I Love Reading...
Show off your own favorites at Things I Love Thursdays!
Near The Gulf Of Mexico
Naples, Florida
USA
This is a wild Muscovy duck. There are white Muscovy ducks but those are domesticated.
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada. Feral Muscovy ducks are found in New Zealand, Australia, and in parts of Europe.
They are large ducks, with the males about 76 cm (30 in) long, and weighing up to 7 kg (15 lb). Females are considerably smaller, and only grow to 3 kg (6.6 lb), roughly half the males' size. The bird is predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.
This non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. The Muscovy duck's diet consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes. This is an aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source.
The Muscovy duck has benefited from nest boxes in Mexico, but is somewhat uncommon in much of the east of its range due to excessive hunting. It is not considered a globally threatened species by the IUCN however, as it is widely distributed.
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. 16/05/19.
'BEAK THAT PACKS A PUNCH.' (1) Kingfisher.
Only just up from a dive, this male Kingfisher did a quick turn around and got himself ready for another attempt at catching a fish.
Back in the nesting chamber were a hungry brood and his mate, all needed feeding. The little guy worked tirelessly throughout the day while the female bird only showed up three times. I think her attentions must have been focussed on brooding, which suggests the young were newly hatched.
This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be embedded or used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Bruce Finocchio.
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. Suffolk. 13/02/23.
I've spent some quality time recently photographing this beautiful female Kingfisher. She made numerous visits to this branch, clearly a favourite fishing spot of hers.
~Duane Michals, "More Joy of Photography"
texture used~ www.flickr.com/photos/-smallfish-/3874037885/in/set-72157...
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. 16/05/19.
Male Kingfisher holding his latest catch. After adjusting it to fit lengthways down his beak, he soon zipped off to present the prize to his mate.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Textures by SophieG - www.flickr.com/photos/-smallfish-/4176231585/ and
encounter - Laura:
Common Redshank / tringa totanus. Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk. 10/10/22.
A little ruffled by the fresh breeze, this Common Redshank showed well in some beautiful light.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Common Goldeneye / bucephala clangula. Staffordshire. 10/05/18.
‘BEST FOOT FORWARD’.
The female Goldeneye had surfaced relatively close to the bank I was laying on and started to preen, oblivious to my presence! It was the closest I’ve ever been to this species for any length of time so an opportunity to make images. I would have loved there to be blue and silvery water tones in the bokeh, but it wasn’t to be!
Here she had partially rolled onto her right side, revealing a white belly and one gnarly foot.
The image is best viewed large to see textures and patterns better.
(Whilst looking at the enlarged image you will notice how, for the female, ‘Goldeneye’ really is a misnomer, since the eye is a cool, whitish-lemon colour.)
Ferruginous Duck / aythya nyroca. Attenborough, Nottinghamshire. 15/04/19.
‘WHO KNOWS.’
A pair of these rare ducks turned up at a local nature reserve a couple of weeks ago, too good to ignore! I left it rather late in ther stay to go and photograph them but made it in the nick of time. I think they left the day after.
It’s impossible to know their true origin but on the positive side, neither bird wore leg rings and all their wing feathers were intact … who knows …
Near The Gulf Of Mexico
Naples, Florida
USA
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada. Feral Muscovy ducks are found in New Zealand, Australia, and in parts of Europe.
They are large ducks, with the males about 76 cm (30 in) long, and weighing up to 7 kg (15 lb). Females are considerably smaller, and only grow to 3 kg (6.6 lb), roughly half the males' size. The bird is predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.
This non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. The Muscovy duck's diet consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes. This is an aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source.
The Muscovy duck has benefited from nest boxes in Mexico, but is somewhat uncommon in much of the east of its range due to excessive hunting. It is not considered a globally threatened species by the IUCN however, as it is widely distributed.
Autumn outtake from a couple of weeks ago.
This spot is one of my faves. I'm such a shameless recycler.
Boy, autumn's kinda messy, isn't it.
Those leaves are all gone now, btw.
If you live in one of those temperate climates in the northern hemisphere, this is what your days will be like at the moment. I know mine are.
I have a new lens! It was recommended by the lovely SophieG*. It's a Sigma 24mm f/1.8 macro, and it is beautiful. It vignettes like a bantha at wide apertures, as you can see (there's very little post processing on this), but it has such a nice look. I didn't think there were any macro-capable lenses shorter than my Tokina 35mm, but I'm so happy to be proved wrong. This is my 4th macro lens (105mm, 60mm, 35mm & 24mm), you think that might be enough now?
No, me neither.
Common Greenshank / tringa nebularia. 23/08/19.
Not a lot to say about this beauty other than close … VERY close!
A real treat :-))
Common Greenshank / tringa nebularia. 21/08/19.
The Greenshank was completely preoccupied with it's intensive preening session in the sunshine. It was a treat to watch this elegant wader standing just a stone's throw away from me.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Slavonian Grebe / podiceps auritus. Straws Bridge, Derbyshire. 21/02/21.
'AN EYE TO THE SKY.'
Having just caught and eaten a Three-spined Stickleback, the Slavonian Grebe spent time loafing near the bank where I sat. It's captured here with head cocked, looking up at the sky. I noticed it doing this a lot when on the main lake. Possibly the many raucous gulls flying overhead made it feel threatened?
It was also having a rough time with resident Mute Swans, who had singled it out as a stranger and constantly harassed it. I lost count of the times I watched it scuttle across the water and dive, in order to avoid them.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Mandarin Duck / aix galericulata. Attenborough, Nottinghamshire. 14/12/15.
Not as flamboyantly plumaged as the male, but beautifully marked in her own way.
I was trying to make some images of her with crest raised but this was not to be. If she stays around I will try again on a brighter day.
Near The Gulf Of Mexico
Naples, Florida
USA
Click on image to enlarge.
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada. Feral Muscovy ducks are found in New Zealand, Australia, and in parts of Europe.
They are large ducks, with the males about 76 cm (30 in) long, and weighing up to 7 kg (15 lb). Females are considerably smaller, and only grow to 3 kg (6.6 lb), roughly half the males' size. The bird is predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.
This non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. The Muscovy duck's diet consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes. This is an aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source.
The Muscovy duck has benefited from nest boxes in Mexico, but is somewhat uncommon in much of the east of its range due to excessive hunting. It is not considered a globally threatened species by the IUCN however, as it is widely distributed.
Common Pochard / aythya ferina. Welney WWT, Cambridgeshire. 14/11/18.
‘WATER OFF A DUCK’S BACK’.
Female Pochard, a more subdued looking duck compared to the drake, but equally attractive in her own way.
This one had just surfaced after making a feeding dive and most of the water had run off her body. I love to watch the speed and patterns of the water during the process.
Her head, neck and back still held water droplets that shone like diamonds when light hit them.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Common Pochard / aythya ferina. Welney WWT, Cambridgeshire. 14/11/18.
‘LET THERE BE LIGHT, PLEEEEEEASE!’
Light, shadow, reflection, ripples, patterns, colour and a Pochard thrown in for good measure - it was all going on there, back in November!
In the current grey, gloomy period we are all experiencing, I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting light and colour back in my life again. This seemed an appropriate image to post under the circumstances and I hope it packs some cheer into your weekend :-)
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. Private site, Derbyshire. 03/08/15.
This beautiful lady put in frequent visits to the site. Can highly recommend Alan Heeley's static set-up and photography workshop.
Common Kingfisher / alcedo atthis. 16/05/19.
The male had just emerged from another food successful dive. This time he perched on a dead branch with no textural distractions, thus allowing his full splendour to shine through.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Little Egret / egretta garzetta. Thornham Harbour, Norfolk. 13/01/16.
The strong and bitingly cold wind certainly ruffled the LE's feathers!
I watched and waited for what seemed like ages for it to start feeding and hoped to capture it with a small fish in its beak. This never happened.
However, the light got nicer and nicer and I was struck by the bird's windblown plumes, so made some images anyway.
Near The Gulf Of Mexico
Naples, Florida
USA
Click on image to enlarge.
Wild bird at the local zoo. I put my image in the zoo area on the map, and it shows up again at Lake Park, which is wrong.
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada. Feral Muscovy ducks are found in New Zealand, Australia, and in parts of Europe.
They are large ducks, with the males about 76 cm (30 in) long, and weighing up to 7 kg (15 lb). Females are considerably smaller, and only grow to 3 kg (6.6 lb), roughly half the males' size. The bird is predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.
This non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. The Muscovy duck's diet consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes. This is an aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source.
The Muscovy duck has benefited from nest boxes in Mexico, but is somewhat uncommon in much of the east of its range due to excessive hunting. It is not considered a globally threatened species by the IUCN however, as it is widely distributed.