Mallard ducks
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This Common Goldeneye drake is not looking at the clouds; he's displaying for a nearby hen. Often, they will lay their heads all the way back onto their backs and stare upward, as part of the mating ritual to attract the female.
Seen in Lake St. Clair, southeast Michigan.
A handsome pintail drake on the Rushy Pen lake at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre, this shot was taken from the Rushy Pen hide.
I found this mallard drake along the shore of Lake Michigan in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was one of fifty taking a break on a grassy hump. Because they are so common around here, we often overlook how beautiful mallards are.
greenhead duck
warming in the winter sun
along the big lake
Image and haiku by John Henry Gremmer
One of a pair of gadwalls seen on the big pen lake at Slimbridge close to the boardwalk and main buildings on a recent visit. This is the handsome gadwall drake.
Beautiful light here. About twilight, the sun was behind my back, making it hard for the drake to see me and easy to photograph.
Wildwood Lake, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Thank you for taking a look!
A male Mallard preening on the shores of Lake Ontario. Maybe he's getting ready for the mating season.
One from the files. A Christmas day Wood drake from 2016, at Wildwood Lake in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Thanks for the visit!
Check out some of my own favorites
www.flickr.com/photos/133972384@N04/albums/72157716919196558
This common merganser appeared to be explaining something to the disinterested hen. Made me think of mansplaining, which I'd explain the definition, but then I'd be mansplaining :)
A gadwall drake in the big pen at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre. I spotted this handsome bird with his mate close to the boardwalk outside the main buildings on my last visit.
I know, I know, alot of pictures of Northern Shovelers, but I absolutely adored photographing them last weekend at Cranberry marsh. Hopefully I get another chance before things freeze over!
Happy New Year everyone! Here is a shot from before the little ponds and pools froze over. A very friendly Green Winged Teal drake on a calmn day.
One of a number of mandarin ducks seen at Cannop Ponds in the Forest of Dean the Friday before last when I met up with flickr members Rod Holbrook and Matt Scott. This handsome drake swam quite near to the waters edge and I was able to get some close up shots
This beautiful Drake has set up home on my local canal over this winter but unfortunately has no mate to accompany him.
Hopefully he will move on soon and meet a partner.
I went to visit him this morning with the intention of getting a reflection shot as the conditions were overcast and calm and the was my favourite shot of the morning.
First year Wood drake coming into his own.
Taken at Wildwood, Hbg, Pa.
Thank you for the clicks and comments!
f/6.3 1/640 sec. ISO320 600mmm
The sun popped out from the clouds there in Silver Creek Falls State Park located in Oregon. It was nice getting over to this park while visiting with family there in Oregon. Our last two times out to Oregon it was around 100 degrees F. So it was a pleasant time there this summer with temperatures in the lower 70's. Very nice hiking weather.
This drake American Wigeon (Anas americana) is enjoying a relaxing moment of a wetland west of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
7 June, 2022.
Slide # GWB_20220607_9433.CR2
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Wind whipping at 32 kph and -6.6 degrees I had to travel to Rockport to see Long-tailed Ducks. Unfortunately they weren't there but we did see these darling Wigeons!
A gadwall drake on South Lake at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre, this shot was taken from the discovery hide and the light was in the right place for once.
Caught this Drake at a small Pond .
Weather was far from being good heavy overcast
cold and light rain.
Medium sized perching duck
Breeding male has an iridescent green and white crested head, red eyes, red and white bill,
chestnut breast, golden flanks and iridescent back
Female is a drab version of the male but is considered striking compared to other duck hens.
Wood ducks typically pair on the wintering grounds or on the return migration to the breeding grounds
Arrive on breeding grounds in April
Nests in preformed tree cavities made by tree diseases, fire scars, lightning, and cavity-making birds like pileated woodpeckers for nest sites and also use artificial nest boxes
Females lay 7-15 white-tan eggs which they incubate for an average of 30 days
Male begins to spend less time with female once she begins incubating eggs
Females stay with young until they have fledged and then leave to undergo a feather molt.
The Wood Duck is one of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl. Males are iridescent chestnut and green, with ornate patterns on nearly every feather; the elegant females have a distinctive profile and delicate white pattern around the eye. These birds live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up around lake margins. They are one of the few duck species equipped with strong claws that can grip bark and perch on branches.
Source: Cornell Lab of Orinthology
These birds are usually very skittish and very difficult to photograph, but this fall at a marsh near Toronto a large group has been congregating close to shore as if almost to let the photographers take their photos. Also this is late for these birds - typically they would be on their way south as Ice would begin to build.