Also known as sometimes you miss the more interesting activity.
She made a nice two-point landing with a dainty splash.
But wait, there’s more!
I missed the drake hitting the water, but got a classic image of the two of them paddling after touch down.
In tight formation this Mallard pair was on their way.
They provided me with two background options as they flew the length of the pond.
Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
January 10, 2021
I had an idea something was going to happen as I watched a female and vocalizing male Mallard close in on another pair in a small pond.
Quack, quack, and splash …
the dust-up was on.
One of the females stayed near the action.
I have no idea which duck was which at this point. I don’t know where the female Merganser appeared from, either, but she quickly retreated.
Mallards doing the Mallard bath in a pond, as can be seen throughout most of the United Sates and Canada. We rarely see Mallards in the other ponds we visit, but Magnolia Cemetery is more of an urban location where you would expect them to congregate.
The sun was perfect on this early February afternoon and the Mallards were enjoying an unseasonably warm day.
After bathing they had a dead tree trunk to perch on, out of the water and with a good view of potential hazards. This pond does host a few Alligators, I have seen fox on the cemetery grounds, and a few Red-shouldered Hawks could be heard nearby.
Click any image for larger view.
