{"id":55217,"date":"2018-12-05T05:27:42","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T12:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=55217"},"modified":"2025-09-02T07:28:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T12:28:36","slug":"resting-feral-domestic-mallard-with-an-eye-on-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/12\/05\/resting-feral-domestic-mallard-with-an-eye-on-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Resting Feral Domestic Mallard With An Eye On Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RestingResting Mallard with an eye on me – Nikon D500, f\/10, 1\/640, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There are domestic Mallards at my local pond and even though they are domesticated I still photograph these feral ducks now and then.<\/p>\n

I like seeing the differences in their plumage when comparing them to the wild Mallards I see at the same pond and a few of these feral ducks I have photographed over a period of several years.<\/p>\n

These ducks aren’t “pets” though and I am not sure how they became feral but they act wild in practically every way.<\/p>\n

Yesterday one of the weather forecasts for my area looked like it was going to be cloudy and another one said mostly sunny but when I looked at the radar\/satellite it did look like it was going to cloudy so I stayed home and wouldn’t you know it, it was a gorgeous, mostly sunny morning.<\/p>\n

I should have gone out into the field but sometimes when I am trying to figure out the weather I just can’t be sure what it will be like.<\/p>\n

Later in the day I did go down to the local pond to see what birds might be there, it has been pretty slow at the pond bird wise like everywhere else I have gone in the past month.<\/p>\n

The only image I liked of the few I took yesterday afternoon was of this resting, feral domestic Mallard that appeared to be keeping an eye on me while it floated next to the shoreline of the pond. The rest of the photos I took are going straight into my delete bin.<\/p>\n

I sure hope that I start seeing more wild birds again.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see my domestic waterfowl and hybrid photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The only image I liked of the few I took yesterday afternoon was of this resting, feral domestic Mallard that appeared to be keeping an eye on me while it floated next to the shoreline of the pond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":153856,"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":[27,2363,965,709,26],"tags":[5575,970,4717,6899,1129,126,4620,1604,1984,4156,2063],"class_list":["post-55217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-domestic-ducks","category-mallards","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-anas-platyrhynchos-domesticus","tag-autumn","tag-dabbling-ducks","tag-domestic-duck","tag-duck","tag-ducks-2","tag-fall","tag-mallard","tag-pond","tag-resting","tag-waterfowl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-resting-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-emB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45173,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/22\/showcasing-manky-mallard-portraits\/","url_meta":{"origin":55217,"position":0},"title":"Showcasing Manky Mallard Portraits – They Are Oddly Beautiful","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 22, 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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3108.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55385,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/12\/22\/domestic-mallard-feather-details-up-close\/","url_meta":{"origin":55217,"position":1},"title":"Domestic Mallard Feather Details – Up Close","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I really can't pin down why I like this mallard photo and honestly I don't feel a need to figure out why I do. I simply do.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Domestic Mallard feather details, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-feather-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5948.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-feather-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5948.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-feather-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5948.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-feather-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5948.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":119683,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/14\/male-mallard-resting-in-snow-connections\/","url_meta":{"origin":55217,"position":2},"title":"Male Mallard Resting In Snow – Connections","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I visited my local ponds yesterday even though the sky was gray, and snow was falling. While I was there, I photographed this male Mallard resting in the snow.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Mallard watching me photographing him, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mallard-drake-snow-mia-mcpherson-2390.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mallard-drake-snow-mia-mcpherson-2390.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mallard-drake-snow-mia-mcpherson-2390.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mallard-drake-snow-mia-mcpherson-2390.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44084,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/23\/domesticated-mallard-with-a-hidden-face\/","url_meta":{"origin":55217,"position":3},"title":"Hidden Face On A Domestic Mallard","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Ten days ago I photographed a manky mallard at my local pond and when I pulled images of it up on my monitor I discovered that it has a hidden \"face\" and once I saw it I couldn't un-see it. Do you see it?","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hidden face on a Domestic Mallard's bill, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.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":55217,"position":4},"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 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50673,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/01\/14\/mallard-drake-in-flight-in-salt-lake-county\/","url_meta":{"origin":55217,"position":5},"title":"Mallard Drake in Flight in Salt Lake County","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I locked on to one of the mallard drakes and when he flew past I was able to take some nice photos of him before he landed on the water","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Mallard drake in flight, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mallard-drake-flight-mia-mcpherson-4224.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mallard-drake-flight-mia-mcpherson-4224.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mallard-drake-flight-mia-mcpherson-4224.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mallard-drake-flight-mia-mcpherson-4224.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55217\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/153856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}