Mallard by Phil Bennett

 

 

Birds are already well into their breeding seasons and many of us will have already noticed youngsters out and about, be it fledged European Robins and Blackbirds in the garden, or broods of cygnets, goslings or ducklings at our local waterbodies. At his local Scarborough Mere in North Yorkshire, Phil Bennett capitalised on a fine opportunity provided by one such cohort of Mallard youngsters to take this particularly striking image of five ducklings lined up and swimming right towards him. Soft light conditions and a dark green background has given a slight 'halo' effect to the chicks, making for a very seasonal and uplifting Photo of the Week winner this Monday. Well done to Phil!

 

Other notable images

 

White Stork, Albufiera , Portugal (Jonathan Rosborough).

Great Crested Grebe, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset & Bristol (Carl Bovis).

Mallard, Alvaston, Derbyshire (Neil Loverock).

Black-winged Stilt, Llanelli Wetland Centre WWT, Carmarthen (Jeff Lack).

Spotted Redshank, St Ouen's Pond, Jersey (Romano Da Costa).

Eurasian Dotterel, Pendle Hill, Lancashire (Harry Coghill).

Black Tern, Dernford Farm Reservoir, Cambridgeshire (Matthew Binns).

Barred Owl, Stillwater Marsh, Indiana (Steve Bell).

Common Cuckoo, Thursley Common, Surrey (Ian Curran).

Eurasian Skylark, Newstead & Annesley CP, Nottinghamshire (Simon Richardson).

Tree Pipit, New Forest, Hampshire (Jeremy McClements).

Grey Wagtail, undisclosed site, Norfolk (Andy Thompson).

Willow Warbler, Stithians Reservoir, Cornwall (Martin Webb).