Mallard Time
Mallards are a pretty dabbling duck, especially when nice lighting brightens up the males’ iridescent green heads and both the male/female’s white-bordered, blue speculum wing patch. They are an abundant, year-round resident in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Here are a few of my favorite images of our local Mallards since the first of the year.
“Mallards On Ice”
(41 total here!)
” Ice Steppin’ “
Male Mallard coming in for a landing
Male Mallard
“Cruise at Sunset”
I wish I were more in focus on the male in this next photo of a Mallard Hybrid with a female Mallard. The male hybrid is a Mallard/Northern Pintail mix.
It looks quite different seeing a blue bill on a Mallard instead of bright yellow bill, doesn’t it?!!
Male Mallard/Northern Pintail Hybrid with a female Mallard
Here is a male Northern Pintail for comparison.
Male Northern Pintail (blue bill)
Finally, another flight series of a male Mallard coming in for a landing.
“Look out!”
Thankfully, there were no casualties when he landed! 🙂