My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
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Monday 3 May 2010

Frogs and hybrids!

(Hint: When you reach the Mallard hybrid pics, the lovely markings are more evident if you click on the picture to enlarge it..)


It's been one of those weeks when I've not really been able to get any pictures that I'm really pleased with. The light's not been that bad and we've had a bit of sun. However, when I popped over to Painshill the other day the sun was being very shy.

Most of the birds were in hiding; they can be so elusive now the trees are in flower. One of the pairs of Great Crested Grebes were still together but I couldn't find their nest. The one they were on recently has, I've learned from fellow birder Ian, been predated. Hey ho!

The Marsh Frogs alerted me to their presence by being incredibly noisy - as is their wont!!

One minute sitting there quietly and..

the next, filling their vocal sacs being very noisy

then to subside and lie quietly again.

Across the bridge and a Great Tit had been bathing in a puddle before sitting on a branch for a bit of a brush up.

A flotilla of Mallard Ducklings. The are quite a mixture as Mum is a Hybrid.



and a very pretty one she is too.

A couple of Greylag Geese Goslings deciding whether or not to leap out into the water

which they did and joined their siblings and a parent.

Further around the lake the other Mallard Hybrid had only two ducklings. But this one I saw last year and she had four initially.


She's got some lovely colouring..


And on my way out, more Greylag Geese Goslings contemplating the distance down to the water
and en famille they swam off - Mum and Dad looking rather snooty though ;)

In the alpine valley I caught my first Green-veined white flutter of the year.



And that was it for the day. Nothing very special. I'm hoping for damsels and dragons before too long. There's usually plenty of them at Painshill.

12 comments:

Midmarsh John said...

Poor weather or not you still managed some lovely awww photos. Love the body language on the Greylag parents .. as though to say .. 'No ugly ducklings (goslings) here!'

ShySongbird said...

Lovely photos, Tricia! What a great time of year it is :) I saw a mallard family the other day with eleven ducklings, mum has her work cut out there I think!

Always interesting to see the Marsh Frogs, we don't have them in this area. Nice to see the flutter on the Lady's Smock also.

Bob Bushell said...

A Frog doing his/her thing, thanks Tricia.

mick said...

The Mallard hybrid is very pretty and so are the babies. You didn't say what other species would have been in the hybrid. Out here (in Australia) mallards can hybridize with some of our native species - to the detriment of the native species unfortunately.

Linda Yarrow said...

Hi Tricia, The hybrid duck is very pretty. Lovely set of pictures, it is lovely to see the ducklings and the goslings:-)

Gaina said...

Oh, the hybrid really is a beauty isn't she? :)

I think goslings are my favourite babies :).

holdingmoments said...

I love Lord and Lady Greylag lol
Great capture Tricia.
The hybrid Mallard is a pretty girl, with beautiful markings. And so many little ones around now.

karen said...

A lovely set of pics yet again Tricia, your photos are amazing xxxx

Anonymous said...

I love the marsh frog,such a good friend to have around the garden.

Anonymous said...

I love the marsh frog pic,such a good friend to have around the garden

Anonymous said...

Whatever the weather Tricia, you produce some cracking photo's!
I love em all, but those Greylags LOL.

paul.

Tricia Ryder said...

John - thanks - it's the aw time of the year and yes - don't the Greylags look snooty!

Jan - lovely to see you back in circulation :D And thank you for the Lady's Smock ID - didn't know it was called that !

Bob - as frogs do :D

Mick - Mallards here are not choosy at all - no idea what the other parent would have been. Might have been several generations.

Linda - she is pretty yes :D and I love seeing the youngsters at this time of the year.

Gaina - Goslings or ducklings - they all have that "aw" factor.

Keith - Lord and Lady - oh well said! The biggest mallard family I've seen is 18!!!

Karen - thank you.

Geordie - I just have common frogs in the garden and am grateful to have them.

Paul - you're very kind! Greylags with attitude eh ;)

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