Thursday, December 14, 2017

Dressed to the nines

Spring is coming. Not quite yet, of course, but the mallards are going to be ready for it. They're busy pairing off, getting ready for the early egg-laying. And they're wearing their brightest, gaudiest, flirtiest colours.

A toddler had a bag of bird seed, so the mallards joined the pigeons in the park.

Greens, blues, purples, deep burgundy, orange and yellow, warm browns. And a pigeon's red eyes.

And they return to the estuary to primp. Gotta look your best! 

The water's about 2 feet deep here. But a flapping mallard can stand upright on top.

Two males and a female.

Courting couples spin, bobbing up and down, bending and stretching alternately in a ritualistic dance.

Happy pair.

I remembered to hit the video button just in time.


3 comments:

  1. Love mallards. Love pigeons. But when it comes to mating the males can be pretty terrible and I'm glad I'm not a duck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No wonder the females kick them out once the babies hatch!

      Delete
  2. It seems so early. We still have no bird action, except for the resident ravens. - Margy

    ReplyDelete

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