anas platyrhynchos

Mallard just before touchdown

I took this sequence of a mallard landing at my local lake. My grandson helped by feeding the ducks.

Luis Sitges http://birdingtrekkingandnaturecom-luis.blogspot.com.es/2012/08/birding-spain-june-and-julay-in-madrid.html

Mallards, male and female

Mallards, male and female

Shutter speed value 1/3158 s Aperture value f/5.7 ISO speed ratings ISO 500 Focal length 400 mm

This is my first in-flight Drake.

I always understood that expression to mean that the water ran off on its own with no effort needed on the duck's part, but this female mallard took the effort to paddle herself high in the water and shake herself dry like a dog.