Difficult to choose the most beautiful duck, male Mandarin or male Wood. I was able to take pictures of both in the last weeks. I found the pair of Mandarin in Berlin at the Charlottenburg palace. I went to visit as part of a family vacation and ended birding in the gardens with a 24-120mm and the pop-up flash. During my brief visit to the palace gardens I also spotted a Grey Heron eating a mouse. The wood duck pictures were taken at Santee Lakes, CA with the more appropriate 500mm. C&C welcomed!
A very nice set Bruno. The first two are my picks, but 4 is also of note for the unusual angle that shows the color pattern from an angle I haven't seen. I think that a GBH will eat anything it can catch ~ Ron
The mandarin duck pictures were done from a bridge while they were being fed bread. These are wild birds but used to people since they live in a city park. Berlin has many nice parks and a large population of Mandarin Ducks. I am pleased how they came out considering that I had only a 24-120.
The GBH is actually a Gray Heron, a slightly smaller European version of the GBH.
I think that a GBH will eat anything it can catch ~ Ron