Resting drake mallard

As we passed a distant, sleeping mallard I stopped and pointed my camera at it and saw its eye open. Even though the rear of the bird was pointing directly at us, with its head tucked under its wing, it could still bring an eye to bear on us to decide if we were a threat or not. The mallard was resting in shallow water at the pools edge, on a single leg, with its feathers insulating it from the morning breeze. We must have been sufficiently distant for it to feel safe because when I looked again, using my camera as a telescope, its eye was closed once more.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Ginkgo biloba leaves

The tree, Ginkgo biloba (also known as maidenhair tree) has been called a living fossil. It is the last remaining living species of the order Ginkgoales which first appeared 290 million years ago. Fossils that are very similar to Ginkgo biloba appear in the middle Jurassic i.e. c.170 million years ago. The fan-shaped leaves of the tree are unique among trees today and are the easiest way of recognising it. If left unpruned the Ginkgo can grow to 50m tall and individuals are claimed to have live for 2,500 years. The tree's leaves turn to saffron yellow in autumn and it is this colour and the exclusive leaf shape that accounts for its popularity with gardeners.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5