Mandarin Duck by Clive Daelman
The parks of London can be great places to take photos of birds. With the large footfall of human visitors, the avian residents of these greenspaces can be very habituated to people and give uncharacteristically good views. Among these are some established exotics, with the large numbers of Ring-necked Parakeets being conspicuous year-round habitants of the London area. However, other breeding species include the subject of this week's POTW winner by Clive Daelman – Mandarin Duck. This beautiful duck is quite numerous in many parks and prospers due plentiful mature trees offering suitable nesting holes. Clive's photo of a duckling emerging from one such hole can't help but put a smile on your face and is a worthy winner this Monday.
Other notable images
American Wigeon and Black-tailed Godwit, Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire (Tony Davison).
Black-winged Stilt, Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire (Glyn Sellors).
Black-tailed Godwit, Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire (Glyn Sellors).
Ringed Plover, Hengistbury Head, Dorset (Scott Usher).
Little Tern, undisclosed site, England (Matthew Barfield).
Great Cormorant, Martin's Haven, Pembrokeshire (Carl Bovis).
Pygmy Cormorant, Montenegro (Keith Salmon).
Common Swift, Newstead & Annesley CP, Nottinghamshire (Simon Richardson).
Common Cuckoo, North Cave Wetlands YWT, East Yorkshire (Steve Clipperton).
Steppe Grey Shrike, Kilmory, Highland (Pete Walkden).
Eurasian Skylark, High Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland (Nick Truby).