Duckies Ducking Around - The Yellow-billed Duck
Visiting farms, I am always fascinated by the animals just doing what they do. It is almost like they are in a totally different world than us. They just keep on doing what they do without being bothered by us. On a recent visit, I spotted some yellow-billed ducks being just like this; bathing, chasing each other and just being their duck-selfs!
As soon as we stepped close to the water, they hurried towards us! So used to people giving them food, they instinctively thought we would also offer them some tasty morsels or snacks.
Two of them put their engines in high gear and sped up toward the camera!
Unfortunately, we had nothing, but they stuck around for a while, giving me the perfect opportunity to take some nice close-ups of them. Their yellow bills are so beautiful when you zoom in on them. Their eyes are also mesmerizing, or it might just be me. I have a thing for eyes, having drawn them since a young age.
The water was so clear, you could see their little peddling feet!
After not receiving any food from us, they swam away from us. They did not like that we did not have food for them.
Whilst observing the duckies just ducking around, they displayed some nice moments that I tried to capture. This one displayed its feathers for us.
Someone eventually gave them some food, and this just turned into an almost bloody fight! All of the ducks in the dam fought over some pieces of food. But my camera for some reason did not focus and the aperture setting clutched out. Most of the images are under-exposed. Luckily, I got this one that looked okay-ish, but you can see the front runner clutching the food whilst the second one is biting the other friend's wings. Small battles!
After the fights (and when my camera decided to work again) there was calm and they decided to clean themselves. Maybe this is their daily ritual!
Meanwhile, to the side, this friend slept through the whole ordeal of food fighting! Some of them just don't care.
But in any case, these friends displayed their beauty even in their everyday antics. I hope you enjoyed the photographs of this beautiful bird.
Keep well and safe. Happy birding.
All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 (which is hopefully not giving me problems or warning signs! I know it is close to its supposed limited shutter count). The musings and writings are also my own, inspired by these lovely beauties.
Yellow-billed duck one of my favourites to see out on the dams or small ponds, striking features, some great photography captured here!
@tipu curate
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Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I was lucky to get very close to them. They are indeed so beautiful. I would not mind sitting next to the pond for a whole day just watching/photographing them. Keep well!
Have a wonderful new week, hope the weather is not too wet and cold with so many cold fronts arriving in waves.
Pretoria weather is actually nice. They said it was going to get very cold, but we never saw the cold.
Living there, when extreme cold hits it is devastating to gardeners with black frost killing most in the yard.
So true. I am waiting just a bit longer then I am going to plant swiss chard, amaranth and rocket. See if they will grow but the summer sun will probably get them.
Morning sun, shaded area from around 10am might do the trick, have fun for slugs I put down beer traps not so sure they worked to efficiently.
I will remember that. I read somewhere that eggshells might also work against slugs as it is too sharp to move over.
Old remedies normally work.
That is usually the case. As we mentioned in our previous chats, it is just sad that those old remedies are not being passed down like they used to be.
They are soooo adorable. As I've come to learn, you are an amazing photographer - spectacular images! Incredible closeups with such clarity. Thanks mate for making me melt inside loool.
Thanks so much! Indeed, I was lucky to get real close. Sometimes it just works out. And luckily the camera did its part; sometimes it just goes haywire! Keep well!
Oh how lovely! There used to be a park down the road from where we lived in Claremont. We used to go visit the ducks often. I don't think the gardens are very safe anymore though, unfortunately. The Company's Gardens have been given a lovely face lift though and it's really lovely to spend the day there with a picnic!
Thats awesome, at least when I was still safe. Its always fascinating to just watch them do their thing. Such lively friends. Thank you so much! Keep well.
So beautiful ❤️
The little duckies are for sure! Thank you so much! Keep safe.
Thanks
These yellow bills are stunning. I see you got given the tail when they twigged you had no food for them.
Brilliant shots though!
Yes! They did not like me not giving them anything and taking their photographs haha. Thank you so much! I appreciate it.