After yesterday’s cormorant fest I thought I’d take a look at some of the other birds that brighten up the pond at this time of year. The first couple of photos were taken yesterday, the rest are from today.

Few birds make more of a mark than this extravagant and noisy Muscovy drake.

The more common mallards are there as well, but they sometimes need the help of lighting to really look their best. This is an early morning shot of a female mallard.

Winter is on its way and the black-headed gulls having discarded their summer plumage (the black head) and are now dressed for the season.

The collared doves just ruffle their feathers to get in the seasonal mood.

And in case you were wondering, the cormorant is still there; and still laying claim to the prime location on the pond.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.