male mallard

This Mallard seems to have a rather bossy look about him as he patrols around the loch.

Wonder if this guy is the father of the adorable ducklings I showed you the other day?

... well they are, when the sun catches them right, aren't they. This one shows the more unusual blue iridescence, but also a touch of green. TTTW

If ducks to 'trot' that's how fast this guy was moving through. A bit dark under the trees, so camera speed was a tad slow, hence some movement. But I did think the speculum was a beautiful colour. Sorry I forgot to say this morning; the "ghost" was in fact a Blue Tit. But the next...

Going on the bill colour this is an eclipse male Mallard. He seems to be a bit excited about something, doesn't he.

This eclipse Mallard seems to be developing his fine breeding plumage now. Just wee bits of his pretty green head starting to show through.

I was rather surprised to see that this Mallard wasn't in his full breeding finery in July.... would they be in post-breeding eclipse so soon? This was an early July visit to Loch of the Lowes, partly to get peanut butter - they sell big tubs of it! TTTW

A different angle and this time his head is showing the more usual green iridescence.

.... although it's mostly in his head colouring this time. Makes a change to the more commonly seen green iridescence, doesn't it. Guess the sun must have gone behind a cloud at this point, even though they were those pretty white fluffy ones you can see in my last picture.

..... yep, that was me chased them out .... ooops! After that session at the feeders, thought I'd wander a bit further along the loch as I'd not done that for a long time, passing the East Hide, I managed to get down to the water's edge and out popped these two - I'd no idea they were there of...

The sun was catching their iridescent head plumage so well I thought. They seem to be showing off, don't they LOL.

A different Mallard, in a different place on the water and how pretty the water looks (well I thought so LOL). There were a lot of Mallards, mostly hiding under the overhanging branches, but some did come into the open, so I hope you don't mind me showing you another one... they were quite...

.... well he was actually just having a bit of a wing stretch! He gave me some nice images of his opened wings and I just picked this one to show you. Thanks for your kind wishes and lovely messages yesterday, I do feel over the worst today, but still very wooly-headed. We have another...

Well he sure wasn't going to be left out and came running in to make sure he got some of the leavings too LOL TTTW I'm just in for a few minutes, will be back later on.

I thought he posed so nicely for the camera, so couldn't resist taking his picture. TTTW

Male Mallard

I picked this image out of several to show you, as it was originally picture #007! Cheeky, aren't I. This was the second attempt at cropping, the first time I just showed the boys, but then changed it all to include more of the water with the lovely colours. Hope you think I did right. A...

There were a few more birds visible on the next trip to Kinnordy, really just days after the previous one! So this guy must have completed his moult. The light brought out the beautiful iridescence on this guy, didn't it.

Male Mallard

I hardly cropped this picture at all, as I just loved the setting with all the green reflections and his wake. It's amazing how just a slightly different angle of view gives a completely different water colour.

one of my gorgeous mallards here know you love these as much as i do.hope i have done him justice.

one of my gorgeous mallards this morning.getting very chilly here and the light is coming and going amongst the frosty sky.