Stalking Heron - Camouflage

One thing about Herons, they are easy to photograph mainly standing stalk still. 

Stalking prey is their speciality and ducklings are always on the menu. 

However, some of the ducks are pretty wise and always keep a wary eye on them. Yesterday our mother duck with 10 ducklings, keeps them close by in the moat - with the Heron just yards away.

Ducklings blend into the background of stones exceptionally well, as you can see in this pic- Yes there are 10 there !

Camouflage

                       I often get asked why are the female ducks so plain coloured ? The simple answer is, camouflage = survival.

A perfect example can be seen in the photos taken today of the Mother who entered the river yesterday with her brood , 

who incidentally are also born with camouflage !  See for yourself.

Duck Survival Camouflage

The Ducks on the lower river have now dispersed all over the place to nest. The bulk of the ducks to be seen openly, are now mainly Drakes without partners. They are ready to pounce on any nesting females that show up for a feed. It's tough being a female duck at this time of year, not only do they have to put up with all the testosterone packed Drakes, but their own survival and that of their precious eggs is all down to them alone. Their rather plain feathers are ideally evolved to match the decayed springtime foliage, even their eyes are located in their dark head band. This allows them to watch predators without giving away their position, perfect survival camouflage. The biggest threat sitting on their nest, is loose uncontrolled sniffing and hunting dogs, owners should be mindful of the ducks that we all so admire, and keep their dogs under close control over the next 3 months !