Photos

Well, a few days ago someone requested more bird shots instead of the bugs I've been posting for the past few weeks, so here's one I pulled out of the files from earlier. This mallard drake take-off was taken at a time when mallard shots were so plentiful on TE that complaints about the numbers were made. So, I left mine for later.
The numbers at the time probably has to do with the fact that mallards in early spring are quite visible when they're out in numbers looking for mates. Back then we usually had a contingent of 10+ mallards, sometimes even 20+, all jockeying for position on our tiny lake. This made for some very good photo opportunities, as they'd often chase each other off the water and were forever taking off and landing.
At present they seem to have settled down, most in pairs, and the hens may well have nests hidden away amongst the rushes somewhere in the vicinity. So far, however, no mallard fluffies have been spotted near here, only the two pairs of coots are proudly parading their youngsters - at the other side of the lake, of course, out of reach of the 300mm..
Treatment: Crop, contrast +10, saturation +10, USM and resize.