Mossy Mouthful.

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) bringing more bedding material to the nest box.  For more nesting updates please check out the recent posts on my main blog.    FAB.

Ducks in Breeding Plumage.

Many of our resident and over-wintering migrant ducks are now sporting their full breeding plumages.

Northern Pintail (Anus acuta)

I intend to share a series on this elegant species on my main blog very soon.

Pochard (Common)  (Aythya ferina)

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)

For more images of this species click this link to my main blog.

Northern Shoveler (Anus clypeata)

All photographed within Surrey in the last few weeks ..... FAB. 

Listening.



A study in concentration as this Red Deer doe pricked her ears to monitor any possible danger.   FAB.

Branta bernicla.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Farlington Marshes - 24 Feb 2011.

Far Eastern Exotic.

The colourful and exotic male Mandarin (Aix galericlata).   [ISO 800; F/9; 1/250 @ 300mm].

A species that breeds in East Asia and was initially introduced into the UK in the 18th century with the first feral breeding probably occurring in the 1930's but also found in a number of other European countries. It prefers ponds, lakes and rivers with fairly dense overhanging vegetation and can often be seen perched high in trees nearby.

 

His partner is much drabber in colour but still very distinctive with the 'spectacle' eye stripe ( not unlike their cousin, the American Wood Duck). [ISO 800; F/7.1; 1/400 @ 300mm].

For a previous post on this species on my main blog check this link ..... Magnificent Mandarin.
I am hoping that at least one pair will return to a pond on my local patch and successfully rear another brood this year although predation of the young tends to be rather high.  FAB.

Please click here for more WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY images hosted by Springman.