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Mallard Duck


Mallard Duck
Photo Information
Copyright: Pekka Valo (pekkavalo1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 453 W: 58 N: 2111] (6749)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-01-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 50D, Sigma EX 500mm f4.5 APO HSM, RAW ISO 800, Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 DG 1.4x
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/320 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-01-18 5:03
Viewed: 1509
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A pair of Mallard ducks at RSPB Elmley Marshes nature reserve. Being so common Mallards are often ignored. I just had to take picture of this pair looking towards the sunset.

From Birdguides:

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

In: Mallard Ca: Ànec collverd Da: Gråand De: Stockente Es: Anade azulón Fi: sinisorsa Fr: Canard colvert It: Germano reale Nl: Wilde Eend No: Stokkand Pt: Pato-real Sv: Gräsand US: Mallard Ru: Кряква

Identification
The Mallard is our commonest duck, the one you are most likely to be greeted by if you throw out food at your local park pond. Some Mallards have been domesticated and so you may also see Mallard-like hybrids showing bewildering colours from khaki brown to pure white. The displaying male Mallard shows his colours very clearly as well as the diagnostic curly black uppertail feathers. The female Mallard is the standard dabbling duck against which all the others should be compared. Mallard in flight can be told by their relatively large size, the contrastingly dark-chested appearance of the males and the fact that the white borders on either side of the dark blue speculum are both equally obvious.

Habitat
Breeds and winters on any fresh and saltwater bodies.

Behaviour
Displays of the males include a rhythmic bobbing of the head. Groups of displaying males may gather close to one female, constantly swimming around her apparently vying for her attention.

Migration
Males begin moving to their moulting grounds as early as May-June, with females and young later in July-August. Northern migrants often do not reach their wintering quarters until October-December.
siggi, Argus, CeltickRanger, jaycee, jusninasirun has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1376 W: 56 N: 4736] (16296)
  • [2009-01-18 5:18]

Hello Pekka,
My have already a duckling,yours must still work on it.Wonderful colors and a very nice presentation of this lovely couple. Perfect sharpness and DOF.
Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3819 W: 190 N: 11368] (35041)
  • [2009-01-18 7:01]

Hello Pekka,
I have yet to take a fine portrait of a pair of Mallards.
This one is great: I like the way the drake stretches his neck behind the female and the slope that they stand on is a bonus to the composition.
TFs this beauty,
Best wishes,
Ivan

hello Pekka

beautiful close-up photography of the couple of Mallard Ducks,
shot with fine POV, beautiful warm luminosity and colour tones
of the image, excellent sharpness and details of the subjects,

TFS

Asbed

Hi Pekka
They may be common, but they are very pretty too! They are posing nicely, and you have selected a good DOF to capture them both yet still make them stand out from the background.
Kind Regards
Vinny

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-01-18 10:52]

Hi Pekka,

This is the most beautiful photo of a Mallard couple that I have ever seen. The poses are marvelous. Wonderful colors, sharp details, lovely setting.

Jane

Interesting picture for sure! I really like the duck couple as they are headed off to wherever they are going. Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2009-01-19 5:24]

Hello Pekka, Look at the variety. Both of them belong to the same family but having different colors. Good shot. Ganesh

Ciao Pekka, beautiful composition with lovely couple in nice pose, wonderful colors, good details and splendid sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hi Pekka,

Beautiful pair looking at the light making the composition so pleasing to look at. Nice framing with excellent focus.

Well done and best regards,
Jusni

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