Tuesday 4 June 2013

Colour on the pond.

A few weeks ago we decided to check out the colours by taking a stroll around the Isabella Plantation within Richmond Park. A you can see many of the Azeleas were in full bloom providing a glorious feast of colour.

On some of the Rhododendrons the buds were just opening, suggesting a hint of the colour about to emerge but these weren't the only colour on show .....

On a very small pond hidden amongst the vegetation were a couple of Egyptian Geese but the stars were definitely the five male Mandarin Ducks.

 Despite being an introduced species, I never get tired of watching this exotic and charming duck.


 A little time was spent smartening up those feathers.

After their morning swim it was time to chill out together ... such is a duck's life!  FAB.

Linking to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

26 comments:

  1. Beautiful flowers and those Mandarin's are really something. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  2. Beautiful blooms Frank. Superb shots of the Mandarins! They are absolutely fabulous!!

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  3. gorgeous blooms and even more gorgeous fowl!

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  4. Wonderful photos of the Mandarin duck!

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  5. Hi Frank The blooms are great but the Mandarin is very beautiful. Margaret

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  6. Amazing colour ranges frank,love the Mandarins.
    John.

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  7. Duck, Duck, Goose!!

    Fabulous images of both...I've never seen the Egyptian Goose before today.

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  8. Mandarins are gorgeous! Beautiful photos!

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  9. The colours are super! Especially the mandarins!

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  10. Lovely images Frank... the Mandarin is a bird I have never seen in the wild.

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  11. Splendid shots of the Mandarins Frank and those Rhodies are so lovely.

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  12. all of the colours from one pallet and made into a duck - doesn't get better than that

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  13. Beautiful blooms and the birds are wonderful. I love the Mandarin Duck shots, the male is a beauty!

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  14. Beautiful flowers and the Mandarin Ducks are very colorful. I am always intrigued with the numbers of introduced species that have settled down happily in your country.

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  15. wow, that´s amazing birds. Both species in their own rights.

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  16. beautiful flowers and gardens to enjoy and amazing duck photos Frank

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  17. It's certainly the peak time for blooms and birds.

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  18. Can't get over the Mandarin Ducks, they look just like Chinese trepans.

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  19. Are the Mandarins a breeding species?

    Cheers - and thanks for linking to WBW - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  20. HI Frank...A stunning post full of gorgeous color from the plant to animal life...very nice your photo's!!
    Grace

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  21. Love the flowers, but those Mandarin Ducks are outstanding! We had a flock of uncertain origin at the Rio Grande Nature Center in New Mexico but they gradually diminished in number.

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  22. Mandarin... They are very beautiful ducks. Female was probable in hole on the tree. It's too lovely because it very different than male Mandarin

    Wybacz Frank za mojÄ… angielszczyznÄ™.
    Przy okazji wspomnę że nazwy gatunków ptaków w moim kraju piszemy z małej litery :)
    Pozdrwiam

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  23. Hi Everyone.

    Many thanks for all your visits and kind comments about the colourful Mandarins.

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  24. It is always fun to see where you take us and I enjoyed this walk with you as well, The flowers are scrumptious in colour and the Wood Ducks, wow, I especially like the ones on the tree branches, how neat that must have been to see and photograph~

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  25. Hi Mary. Unlike the skittish pair of Mandarin Ducks on my local patch these fellows are obviously much more used to human attention.

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I hope you enjoyed your visit and I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

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