Male Mallard

Male Mallards are gorgeous birds.  They have such lovely colors that sometimes it's so hard not to take photos of them.  

During spring and summer breeding season their colorful plumage helps them to attract females. 

Generally, life is good.

The Leader is Chosen

Frozen Great Salt Lake covered with thin layer of snow.  A group of Northern Pintails and Mallards gathered near a long narrow strip of water.  Looks like they are having a social meeting.

We are separated only by the rocky shore with narrow winding paths. I really want to get closer to this group, but I'm afraid to frighten away the ducks. 

While watching a group I see how suddenly the drake Mallard becomes an unspoken leader among Northern Pintails and Mallards and the initiator of the take-off.  I am guessing he sent a warning signal to the flock when I tried to get a little closer.

Ducks are remarkable birds, they listen, observe carefully behavior of others and very sensitive to warning signals.

The first to respond to the leader's command to take off are a few females Mallards.  You can see them on the photo above.

Then shortly a few Northern Pintails took off following the drake Mallard.

In a few seconds the most hesitant members of the group will join the others and the whole group will be gone.

Generally, life is good!

It's Time for Bathing - II.

Taking photos of birds in action is exciting but always challenging.  Yesterday was a cloudy day and I needed a lot of light but didn't have enough. I photographed anyway hoping for the best.

 

From the numerous photos I took yesterday I was lucky enough to get a few decent.  They are here.

Bathing sometimes angers others.

How energetic this male Mallard is in bathing.

Life goes on.

It's Time For Bathing

In the begging, while watching Mallard Ducks I thought  they had a very similar bathing style.  Then, looking closer, I noticed that each duck bathed in its own  way.  

Sometimes ducks, as in the photo above, covered themselves with their wings, like a cloak.  Others flapped their wings to shake off excess water. And everyone, without exception, bathed, vigorously splashing in the water.

Today I photographed mostly male Mallard Ducks.  The day was gray and gloomy and their winter plumage was so pleasing to the eye.

Life goes on.

Male Mallard Duck is Preening

 

It seems that Mallard ducks are everywhere.  You visit your local pond and the first bird you see is a Mallard duck.

The male Mallard Duck on the photo above lives in the Beau Park where is a little pond.  He was close to the shore and preening to look healthy and attract any female Mallard Duck that could be around.  A mating season has begun!

Generally, life is good!

Elegant and Not So Elegant Landings

 

Actually there is no such a thing like elegant landing but watching for a while ducks and geese doing it I came to conclusion that female Mallard ducks are often very precise, cautious and elegant in their landing.  

Canada Goose landed on the water rather awkwardly and aggressively, but that's understandable. Before landing, he was chasing another goose and was still in a chasing mood.

 This Male Mallard Duck looks a little funny while landing, doesn't it?

I love to watch landings with a lot of splashes of water everywhere. I find this landing chaotic and beautiful.

Hey, you are on my way.  Give me some space.

During landing a bird has to reduce speed, cancel lift and ultimately come to a stop. As you noticed just prior to touchdown a bird is raising the front of its wings. 

Generally, life is good!

In the Golden Light

There are marshes that look so dull. They are treeless, only the tall plants surround them, their colors are pale brown.  But if you happen to be at those marshes during the sunset you will be amazed how the golden light can transform something so dull and plain into wonderful and striking.

American Avocets during the sunset looking for food.

The Mallard ducks in the golden glow.

Even reflections in the water are different during golden hours in the marsh.

On The Country Roads

This morning I took my old camera and went on the country roads to photograph everything that would capture my attention. I ended up photographing only birds and an old shed.

The male Mallard duck is leading his followers to cross the rocks to get to the other side of river.

The female American Robin is observing the world from a tall tree.

I never took a portrait of male Mallard duck, I thought it was a time to capture his beauty a little bit closer.

Returning back home I spotted the shed that offered to take the hot bath just for 5 cents.

The Poligamist

I don't do often bird photography in black and white but sometimes I am curious how birds will look in bw photo.

Thus, in this photograph the male duck after editing suddenly started to look more stern, more bossy compare to females who are very mellow.  I also noticed how awkward look their webbed feet and how rounded females are.

Hey Guys, Where Are You Going

I always photograph Mallard ducks when I am at the Beau pond but very rare when they are in action.  It's extremely difficult to photograph ducks in flight; they beat their wings fast and they are small. 

Here are three male ducks and one female are taking off and heading South .  They are a little bit awkward, funny and wonderful.

The leader and his followers.

Bear River

 In the early morning everything looks so fresh and green at Bear river.

Bear river is always full of life.  Sometimes female Mallard ducks take their little ducklings on a long stroll.

Pelicans from time to time are taking a flight.

In the evening Snowy Egrets are getting playful. They are so beautiful!

Franklin's gulls are also at Bear river. I saw them only once last summer but this summer is so different. There are so many of these birds at Bear river.

Everyone shares peacefully the space, only sometimes someone starts a fight for a his/her territory but it usually doesn't last a long time.


***

My first visit to Bear river wasn't very successful. I didn't make it all the way to the bird's refuge.  The drive was long and it was getting late. 

The spacious desert was very impressive and it was impossible not to fell in love with it. I remember that on my way back home I watched for the fist time Canada geese and was so thrilled to photograph them.

This summer I saw a Long-tailed weasel at Bear river who came out of grass for a short time and then disappeared.  And I was lucky to photograph a baby Skunk.

Some Are Brave, Some Prefer to Stay with Mama

This little duckling is very brave.  He left his mama and went to explore the world on his own.

Two others weren't ready to leave their mama. One stayed for a long time under his mama's wing another was hanging around. For a while.

It's more fun to explore the world having siblings around.

The brave one took a short break to make an important decision where to go next.

Decision was made.

The little one still is near his mama but eventually he will join his siblings. 

In All His Glory

Mallard duck.

Jump or Not Jump?

Hold Still

Sometimes you wait for the moment to come, you forget about time and space, you are all anticipation and hope. You wait for luck to happen. And if it happens everything falls into its place; the birds are still, no gusts of wind, the water is so calm and if the wind suddenly blows up it's just seems right and not disturbing.

That is exactly what happened when I saw the Mallard duck and the Wood duck. They were still. For a while. They weren't concerned with my presence and let me be with them.

It Takes Two to Tango

She is ready to tango.

He is not.