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Tag Archives: Mallard

Darling ducklings

25 Monday Apr 2022

Posted by sconzani in birds

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, ducklings, Mallard, Mallard ducklings

Though Mallard ducklings were seen by other birders as early as the end of February, these little beauties were my first of the year. Eight little bundles of fluff and their mother were tucking in to a soggy slice of bread thrown to them by some boat owners in a local marina. Awwwwwww!

220425 ducklings

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Napping

29 Thursday Jul 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds

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Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, duckling, Mallard, Mallard ducklings

We all need a little cuteness from time to time, so I hope you enjoy this photo, taken recently at Forest Farm Nature Reserve, of Mrs Mallard and her three ducklings snoozing on a log on the Glamorgan Canal.

210729 mallard family

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343/366 Madame Mallard

08 Tuesday Dec 2020

Posted by sconzani in birds, winter

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, female duck, female mallard, Mallard

Female ducks, of various species – in this case Mallard, are often under-appreciated. But, with a little time and some close observation, I think we can all learn to appreciate the sublime subtly of their plumage, the tonal colour variations and the intricacy of their delicate patterning.

201208 female mallard

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129/366 Along the Ely

08 Friday May 2020

Posted by sconzani in birds, fish, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

birding, British birds, British fish, duckling, Ely embankment, Grey wagtail, Mallard, Thick-lipped grey mullet, wagtail fledglings

Yesterday’s walk along the Ely river embankment was a mix of treats and unexpectedness. The first unexpected treat was the large number of both Sand and House martins flying low along the embankment: the air around me was alive with their close flypasts and their noisy chirruping. I’ve no photos of them – I was too intent on enjoying their proximity.

200508 grey wagtail (1)

200508 grey wagtail (2)
200508 grey wagtail (3)

Next up was the sight of a family of Grey wagtails, two adults and their three offspring, flitting about amongst the stones at the water’s edge.

200508 thick-lipped grey mullet (1)

200508 thick-lipped grey mullet (2)

The Grey wagtail fledgling helps to show the size of the fish

While watching the wagtails, I noticed the water churning at various points along the river’s edge. It was being caused by large fish, feeding on the weed that’s growing on the stones just under the water. Thanks to one of my Twitter pals, Tate, I later learned they were Thick-lipped grey mullet, which can grow ‘to huge sizes’ and which are ‘mostly a saltwater fish but can tolerate fresh water quite far up rivers’.

200508 duckling (2)

After unexpectedly bumping in to a birding friend and enjoying a chat to a real live person (a rare treat in these days of lockdown), my final wild treat was seeing these two Mallard ducklings, meandering along the river with their mother.

200508 duckling (1)

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121/366 Ma and her bairns

30 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, spring

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, duckling, Mallard, Mallard ducklings

200430 mallard ducklings

Some days we all need a dose of cuteness!

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318/365 Good weather for ducks?

14 Thursday Nov 2019

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, weather

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, English idioms, Mallard, rain, reflections in water, wet weather

I always thought the expression ‘It’s good weather for ducks’ referred to wet weather: persistent rain leading to the formation of large pools of water that a duck might enjoy swimming in. Turns out I may have been wrong, and it may well have come from comments by the shooters of waterfowl, who find wet weather better for their hunting.

191114 mallard (1)

I certainly hope this gorgeous female Mallard doesn’t meet that fate. How could anyone shoot such a beautiful bottom … er, creature?

191114 mallard (2)

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106/365 Snoozing

16 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Ely embankment, female duck, female mallard, Mallard, sleeping duck

190416 female mallard

Some days, when it’s grey and misty and still a bit damp from the morning’s rain, the best thing to do is tuck your head under your wing and snooze the afternoon away – at least that seems to have been the opinion of this female Mallard on the Ely embankment today.

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89/365 A bunch of fluffy ducks

30 Saturday Mar 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, spring

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

baby birds, birding, birdwatching, British birds, duckling, ducks, Mallard, Mallard duckling

These are the first baby birds I’ve seen this year – five little bundles of fluffy Mallard ducklings.

190330 mallard ducklings (4)

190330 mallard ducklings (7)
190330 mallard ducklings (6)
190330 mallard ducklings (5)
190330 mallard ducklings (8)

190330 mallard ducklings (2)

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A walk along the Taff

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by sconzani in autumn, birds, nature, parks, trees, walks, wildflowers

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Bute Park, Carrion crow, Goosander, Green alkanet, Grey heron, Grey wagtail, Mallard, Mute swan, River Taff, riverside walk, Speckled wood, woodland trail

On Friday, after I’d paid a visit to the tree I’m following, I enjoyed a stroll along the trail in Cardiff’s Bute Park that meanders through mature woodland alongside the River Taff. Despite this summer’s drought conditions, the recent rains have revived the local trees and plants so everything was looking wonderfully lush and vibrant.

180910 Walk by the Taff (1)

A female Goosander sailing down river was a pleasant sight. Both males and females can often be seen on this part of the Taff from autumn through to spring.

180910 Walk by the Taff (2)

Near the far river bank, a Grey heron stood tall on one of the many exposed rocks and boulders. The river is quite low at the moment.

180910 Walk by the Taff (3)

There weren’t a lot of signs of autumn yet – only the leaves of the Horse chestnuts were yellowing and curling up and beginning to drop.

180910 Walk by the Taff (4)

A Speckled wood was well camouflaged on the woodland floor. There weren’t many butterflies around, just half a dozen Speckled woods and a few Small whites.

180910 Walk by the Taff (5)

A Mallard enjoyed a snooze near the river’s edge.

180910 Walk by the Taff (6)

I liked the colours and patterns of the pebbles and the occasionally blue sky reflected in the river water.

180910 Walk by the Taff (7)

This was one of two Mute swans feeding.

180910 Walk by the Taff (8)

I’ve seen this particular Carrion crow many times before when I’ve walked this way. I know it’s the same crow, not because of how it looks but because it has virtually no voice. It tries to croak but hardly any sound comes out.

180910 Walk by the Taff (9)

Most of the wildflowers have finished flowering but this Green alkanet was a pretty exception.

180910 Walk by the Taff (10)

Just a few hints of autumn showing here. I love how this path meanders through these magnificent trees.

180910 Walk by the Taff (11)

The woodland trail finishes just below Blackweir, where the current low water level means many rocks and boulders have been exposed. This was the perfect spot for a group of perhaps 20 Grey wagtails to fly-catch, and watching their aerial antics was the perfect end to my wander alongside the Taff.

180910 Walk by the Taff (12)

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The heronsew, the ducklings & the chicks

27 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, parks

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, birding, birdwatching, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, ducklings, Grey heron, gull chicks, gull nesting on urban rooftop, heronsew, Lesser black-backed gull, Mallard, young heron

The blue-sky heat was relieved ever so slightly on day 27 of #30DaysWild by a nice breeze, so I strolled along to Cosmeston Lakes Country Park for a mooch around. I had a lovely time, though after a couple of hours chasing butterflies in the glaring heat, I felt rather envious of the water birds enjoying the cooling water of the lakes.

180627 grey heron (1)
180627 grey heron (2)

180627 grey heron (3)

This young Grey heron – apparently called a heronsew, from the French heronceau – has not yet learnt to fear humans and was very close to the boardwalk by the cafe.

180627 mallard ducklings (1)180627 mallard ducklings (2)

As I was watching it, Mum Mallard brought her brood of five well-grown ducklings out for a swim. They looked a bit like gawky teenagers and have already been taught to approach humans in the hope of some food.

180627 LBB chicks (1)
180627 LBB chicks (2)

Then, on the walk home, I spotted a bundle of fluff moving around on a rooftop. By the time I got the camera out, it had sat back down with its sibling and, though I was on the other side of the street, mother (or father) Lesser black-backed gull flew past screeching at me, before landing on the chimney to keep an eye on its chicks. I’ve heard of these gulls nesting on factories and taller buildings but not on a house in an urban area.

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sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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