Like a torpedo - a photo on Flickriver

Like a torpedo

            Camera - Nikon D7200
Lens - Sigma 150 - 600mm super Telephoto contemporary
Stabilizer - Tripod

I went down to the reservoir this afternoon and was watching 2 swans rolling in the water and this mallard exploded out of the water. 

The mallard (/ˈmælɑːrd/ or /ˈmælərd/) (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Falkland Islands, and South Africa. This duck belongs to the subfamily Anatinae of the waterfowl family Anatidae. The male birds (drakes) have a glossy green head and are grey on their wings and belly, while the females (hens or ducks) have mainly brown-speckled plumage. Both sexes have an area of white-bordered black or iridescent blue feathers called a speculum on their wings; males especially tend to have blue speculum feathers. The mallard is 50–65 cm (20–26 in) long, of which the body makes up around two-thirds the length. The wingspan is 81–98 cm (32–39 in) and the bill is 4.4 to 6.1 cm (1.7 to 2.4 in) long. It is often slightly heavier than most other dabbling ducks, weighing 0.72–1.58 kg (1.6–3.5 lb). Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and are social animals preferring to congregate in groups or flocks of varying sizes. This species is the main ancestor of most breeds of domesticated ducks.

The female lays eight to 13 creamy white to greenish-buff spotless eggs, on alternate days. Incubation takes 27 to 28 days and fledging takes 50 to 60 days. The ducklings are precocial and fully capable of swimming as soon as they hatch.

The mallard is considered to be a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Unlike many waterfowl, mallards are considered an invasive species in some regions. It is a very adaptable species, being able to live and even thrive in urban areas which may have supported more localised, sensitive species of waterfowl before development. The non-migratory mallard interbreeds with indigenous wild ducks of closely related species through genetic pollution by producing fertile offspring. Complete hybridisation of various species of wild duck gene pools could result in the extinction of many indigenous waterfowl. The wild mallard is the ancestor of most domestic ducks, and its naturally evolved wild gene pool gets genetically polluted by the domesticated and feral mallard populations.

Taken in: UK / Scotland / Livingston (show map)

Taken on: September 5, 2020

Tags:

NIKON

D7200

150mm

600mm

TELEPHOTO

Mallard

Drake

Greenhead

Deans

Eliburn

Reservoir

West

Lothian

Scotland

WILDLIFE

Waterfowl

Anas

platyrhynchos

September

2020 « less

Sets appears in: • Birds • Birds in Motion more » • Ducks • Wildlife & Animals • Deans/Eliburn Reservoir • Lockdown 2020 « less

Groups appears in: • Nikon flickr Award (Post 1 - Award 3) • MARIPOSAS&BIRDS&FLORA&FAUNA&BUTTERFLY more » • *Specialist Nature & Wildlife Photographers* (P1 - A2) • Rainbow of Nature Level 2 : ORANGE (Post1-Award4) • Rainbow of Nature Level 3 : YELLOW (Post1-Award4) • Rainbow of Nature Level 6 : PINK (Post1-Award4) • Rainbow of Nature Level 4 : GREEN (Post1-Award4) • Rainbow of Nature Level 5 : BLUE (Post1-Award4) • Rainbow of Nature Level 7 : PURPLE (Post1-Award4) • Photography Vision • DSLR Autofocus Level 4 • DSLR Autofocus Level 2 • DSLR Autofocus Level 3 • DSLR Autofocus Level 5 • DSLR Autofocus Level 6 • DSLR Autofocus Level 7 • DSLR Autofocus Hall of Fame • DSLR Autofocus Level 1 • Specialists' Choice Nature & Wildlife (P1 - A2) • PASSION FOR BIRDS CLOSED for Ever!! • Photo Classic Level 1 NO Photos with PEOPLE Post 1 Award 5 « less

Camera: Nikon D7200, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec, 360mm (=540mm), ISO 560 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D7200
Lens:	150.0-600.0 mm f/5.0-6.3
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1000)
Focal Length:	360mm (35mm equivalent: 540mm)
ISO:	560
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Not Defined
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 21.2 (Windows)
Show full info

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