Smudge the Little White Duck in 2011

DUCK PICTURES

BIRD BEHAVIOUR

You probably notice by now, I am particularly fascinating by bird behaviour. Why do birds interact as they do? What does that tell us about them? I think many of us don't even notice what is going on in front of us so I want to share my observations with you.

Since I took up wildlife photography, I have been privileged to watch several wildfowl families over the breeding season. My observations have revealed some behaviour I hadn't been aware of before. Of these perhaps the most fascinating has been the story of Smudge the little white duck and family.
Smudge is a little white mallard duck (yes you do get white mallard ducks!) with a single black smudge on the top of her head. In April she appeared in the company of a handsome male mallard and subsequently the pair produced a brood. What was unusual here, was the male stayed with her and the chicks, the males usually take off completely after the deed is done and you seldom see them around ducklings. A few weeks later the couple abandoned the remaining four chicks.
But that wasn't the end of the story. Towards the middle of June a pretty mallard female appeared with a huge brood of chicks. One day Smudge was seen watching them on the outskirts. A day or so later she was in the middle of them. A day or so later she was leading them and the mother was on the outskirts. Eventually the pair came to some sort of agreement because they were seen in joint custody of the ducklings as they grew into adulthood. Scroll on to see the proof.

Smudge with her mate and her own ducklings in late April and early May

he is recognizable because he lacks the usual white neck ring of most mallard ducks

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 WHITE MALLARD DUCK

17th June: Smudge The Duck is on her own

The Second Female Mallard Duck with her Ducklings

I called her Gentle Mum

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  Female Mallard Ducks and Ducklings

  Smudge and Gentle Mum Reach an Understanding on Joint Custody

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The Little White Duck Acts as Lookout

Here Smudge is very much on guard as the other female mallard and the ducklings rest in the grass. You'll need to look closely to spot the second female - can you see her?

In 2012 - she had 16 ducklings - none survived :(
In 2013 - she managed to raise 4 to adulthood
Now in 2014 she has lost her mate but has 8 ducklings- watch this space to see how she gets on. 

Pictures of Birds: Canada Geese

I love to make up little photo journals - this one  features Canada geese photographed just down from my home near the Leeds to Liverpool Canal. The birds are frequent visitor to the greenfield site at Greenhill. I've included a few facts about Canada geese that you might enjoy. 

Canada geese are slightly smaller than domestic geese and have a reputation of being rather aggressive. They are certainly very protective of their young. They are very attractive birds, having a distinctive black head and white chin strap.

Last year this family had seven goslings. It was fascinating to watch them grow very quickly from cuddly fluffy goslings to miniature versions of the adults. Like most geese, the adults keep close watch over the goslings and teach them all they need to know, including how to fly. They were a common sight running the Greenhill strengthening their wings. These particular geese are all-year residents locally but their instinct would be to have the young ready for a long migration flight before winter.

They also appeared to be enthusiastic gardeners of local lawns although I am unsure the residents appreciated the fertilizer.

Bird picture: Canada goose

Adult Canada goose 'It's all about reflections'

Source: pictures by wildlife photographer annmackiemiller

Bird pictures: Canada goose

Acrobatic Canada Goose "look! I can stand on one leg."

Source: annmackiemiller: copyright 2011

Canada goose "... plus - I can stand on one leg on a stone..."

Source: annmackiemiller

Canada goose "...in a bubbling brook!"

Source: annmackiemiller

Bird pictures: Canada Geese Goslings

Canada geese and goslings

Source: pictures by wildlife photographer by annmackiemiller

Canada goose gosling

Source: annmackiemiller

Canada goose and goslings

Source: annmackiemiller

Bird pictures: Young Canada Goose on Bingley Canal

Young Canada goose

Source: pictures by wildlife photographer annmackiemiller

Young Canada goose testing her wings.

Source: annmackiemiller

Information about Canada geese

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae

Species: Branta canedensis

Common name: Canada goose

Length: 35-43 inches

Wingspan: 5-6 feet

Weight: 9-11 lbs

Lifespan: 20-25 years

Bird pictures: Flight School Goose Style

Canada goose teaching young to fly

Source: annmackiemiller

Bird pictures by wildlife photographer AnnMackieMiller

Canada geese. These and more pictures feature on cards and gifts on zazzle. Follow the link to browse.

Source: bird pictures by annmackiemiller

• BIRDWATCHING UK | All About Birds: Pictures of Birds: Bird Behaviour
• Birdwatching Articles and Bird Photography by AnnMackieMiller: Published in 2011
  An index of bird articles and photo journal published in 2011.
• Birdwatching UK on Facebook
  Birdwatching UK on Facebook is a place where you can share your love of birds. You don't even have to be in the UK.
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Introducing my stretch of the Leeds to Liverpool canal

My Canal Landmarks

This is my home turf and this is where I do most of my photography.  I chose it because this seems to be the territory of the mating swans and ducks, they tend to move back and forward between the Five Rise Locks and Lingfield Wharf.  To make it easier later on I thought I would point out some significant landmarks for you.  All these refer to landmarks on the north bank, the opposite bank to the tow path.

The canal is the Leeds to Liverpool canal and my bit stretches from the outskirts of Bingley to the swing bridge at Lingfield Wharf.  The stretch I call home is less than two miles long and begins at the top of the Five Rise Locks at Bingley.  Walking away from Bingley, above the locks is the cafe where the wildfowl know they will find a ready supply of food during the summer months.  Indeed the owner of the cafe has been known to supply stale bread and cakes for visitors to feed them.

Next comes some barge moorings and the bottom of house gardens.  There is a small wooden pier, more boat moorings and then the boat yard.   Next door is  the Airedale Boat Club then more boat moorings, some of them permanent homes.  Grumps the mute swan is not averse to waking up the residents with a tap on the window to be fed.  This area is where the three Swedish ducks are most often found.

The end of the moorings is marked by twisted barb wire and opens up to the green field site known as Greenhill.  At the beginning of this stretch is an old hawthorn tree, and down to the canal side, tunnocks provide good cover for young moorhens. Greenhill stretch up away from the canal and is home to a flock of domestic geese, now wild.  They are mainly white Embden geese, brown Toulous geese, a greylag goose and various hybrid offspring.  There are about 40 permanent residents, the origins of whom were escapees from nearby allotments.    

This section goes from the end of the boat moorings to the swing bridge at Micklethwaite Wharf and includes a curve shallow area that at one time was a turning point for canal boats.  There is a lot of discarded rubble and concrete here from the time when there were landings for the mills here. 

On the other side of the swing bridge, the old Airedale Mills have been converted into homes, mainly flats, with small grassed gardens that are favourites of the Canada geese for grazing.  The end of the accommodations is marked by more old concrete landings, the bottom of the bramble field and various bushes and low trees. 

Next to that is what I call the reeds. This is a lush grass and reed area that has beautiful water lilies and wild irises in summer.

Next is the allotments and then a wooded area, a narrow stripe, a small coppice, with a steep bank leading up to a green field where some of the geese like to graze.  This wooded area had a lot of branches over-hanging the canal making it ideal cover for wildlife.

This ends where there is a concrete weir, the edge of the canal has a concrete shelve that drops down into a culvert for runoff. 

After that is a grassy bank, part of a garden for the house at Lingcroft Wharf and then there is the swing bridge over the road to East Morton.

So, for the purposes of my observations and photography along my stretch of the canal these are the landmarks I will refer to along our journey:

Five Rise Locks (includes the top of the locks, the cafe and the first boat moorings.)

The pier

The boat yard

The boat club

The barges

Greenhill and Micklethwaite wharf

Airedale mills

The bramble field

The reed bed

The allotments

The coppice

The weir

Lingcroft garden

Lingcroft wharf

Here is a VERY rough map that isn't even remotely in scale but should give you some idea of the lay of the land.

CORRECTION: Lingfield should read Lingcroft