{"id":119309,"date":"2023-12-24T04:45:03","date_gmt":"2023-12-24T11:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=119309"},"modified":"2023-12-24T14:39:25","modified_gmt":"2023-12-24T21:39:25","slug":"jolly-drake-mallard-on-christmas-eve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/12\/24\/jolly-drake-mallard-on-christmas-eve\/","title":{"rendered":"Jolly Drake Mallard On Christmas Eve"},"content":{"rendered":"

I went through all of the photos I have taken on Christmas Eve throughout the years and this jolly-looking drake Mallard spoke the loudest to me.<\/p>\n

\"JollyJolly drake Mallard \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/400, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This Mallard photo was taken at my local pond on December 24, 2018. The duck just struck me as looking jolly. Maybe it is his Christmas green head or the funny expression he seems to have on his face, or a combination of both.<\/p>\n

What matters to me is that I think the drake looks jolly, and I wanted to share him on this Christmas Eve. This Mallard does look a little elvish to me.<\/p>\n

As some of you know, I haven’t felt up to par this week, and I’ve believed all along that the reason is sinus issues related to the recent disgusting inversion we had.<\/p>\n

This morning, I am happy to say that I have tested negative for Covid for the second time within 24 hours.<\/p>\n

\"Negative<\/p>\n

What a nice early Christmas pressie for me!<\/p>\n

I’m still not up to par, but at least I know I don’t have Covid for the holidays.<\/p>\n

I might even be able to get down to my local pond for a few minutes today, IF the air quality index is good. I plan on not going out when it is horrible this year.<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Holidays to one and all.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/u><\/a> to see more of my Mallard photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I went through all of the photos I have taken on Christmas eve throughout the years and this jolly-looking drake Mallard spoke the loudest to me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,965,709,26],"tags":[4004,4237,4053,4717,4483,1129,126,14614,4062,1604,7951,1984,3964,8018,3996,373],"class_list":["post-119309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-mallards","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-anas-platyrhynchos","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-dabbling-ducks","tag-drake","tag-duck","tag-ducks-2","tag-jolly","tag-male","tag-mallard","tag-mallards","tag-pond","tag-stretching","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/mallard-drake-jolly-mia-mcpherson-6737.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-v2l","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49531,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/11\/22\/drake-mallards-bathing-and-splashing\/","url_meta":{"origin":119309,"position":0},"title":"Drake Mallards Bathing and Splashing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 22, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"After bathing the Mallards lift up, flap their wings and shake the water off and I have also noticed them repeat the process of bathing several times in succession. Bathe, shake, flap.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Drake Mallard bathing and splashing, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mallard-drake-bathing-mia-mcpherson-7767.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mallard-drake-bathing-mia-mcpherson-7767.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mallard-drake-bathing-mia-mcpherson-7767.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mallard-drake-bathing-mia-mcpherson-7767.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":76602,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/12\/31\/2020-photographic-year-in-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":119309,"position":1},"title":"2020 Photographic Year In Review","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"This is my 2020 photographic year in review. I'm selecting some of my favorite photos from 2020 and a few that just make me happy to see them.","rel":"","context":"In "Bald Eagles"","block_context":{"text":"Bald Eagles","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/diurnal-raptors\/bald-eagle\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Golden Eagle in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":110126,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/02\/09\/calling-mallard-drake-in-the-city\/","url_meta":{"origin":119309,"position":2},"title":"Calling Mallard Drake In The City","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I enjoy photographing even the most abundant ducks at my local city ponds. I simply couldn't resist taking images of this calling Mallard drake two days ago.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Mallard drake on an urban pond, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Some people might call these manky mallards homely, weird or even downright ugly but I prefer thinking of them as oddly beautiful and believe they are worthy of being showcased once in a while.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Alert domestic Mallard portrait, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3108.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3108.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3108.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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