In celebration of ducks

I have to say that ducks have never been one of my favourite bird famlies; raptors, warblers, tubenoses and skuas are the ones that really turn my crank. However after a few close encounters in the last few months I have to admit that the drakes of most species are rather smart birds. I took these images at the Carden Flood at Vane Farm RSPB, a site that along with adjacent Loch Leven holds important numbers of wintering and breeding wildfowl. I had drake Ring-necked Duck and Garganey on May 8th but neither were close enough for a pic.

                                              Coot giving a drake Tuftie a hard time
                                            

                                             Two of 3 Drk Shoveler that were chasing
                                             each other around and adopting a neck stretching
                                             display while calling