Mad Mallard #Wordless Wednesday #Ruffled feathers? #Missing feathers (due to molting)

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

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About Linda Schaub

This is my first blog and I enjoy writing each post immensely. I started a walking regimen in 2011 and in 2013 I decided to create a blog as a means of memorializing the people, places and things seen on my daily walks. I have always enjoyed people watching, so my blog is peppered with folks I meet or reflections of characters I have known through the years. Often something piques my interest, or evokes a pleasant memory from my memory bank, so this becomes a “slice o’ life” blog post. I respect and appreciate nature and my interactions with Mother Nature’s gifts is also a common theme. Sometimes the most-ordinary items become fodder for points to ponder over and touch upon. I retired in March 2024 after a career in the legal field. I was a legal secretary for almost 45 years, primarily working in downtown Detroit, then working from my home. I graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Mass Communications (print journalism) in 1978, though I’ve never worked in that field. I would like to think this blog is the writer in me finally emerging!! Walking and writing have met, shaken hands and the creative juices are flowing in Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy. I hope you think so too. - Linda Schaub
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33 Responses to Mad Mallard #Wordless Wednesday #Ruffled feathers? #Missing feathers (due to molting)

  2. ruthsoaper's avatar ruthsoaper says:
    July 23, 2025 at 7:16 am

    Molting would make anyone grumpy.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 23, 2025 at 8:42 pm

      Yes, I agree Ruth, especially since I had pet birds over the years and watched them as they went through their annual molt every Summer. The canaries especially were listless. We had a small tape recorder that we used to record them singing before the molt and when they had all their feathers and their tail back and were a little more animated, we would play the tape to encourage them to sing. The vet told us this trick as she had a parrot and it would similarly “shut down” and not talk or play during the molt.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Barbara Rodgers's avatar Barbara Rodgers says:
    July 23, 2025 at 7:30 am

    Hang in there, Mad Mallard! This too shall pass!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 23, 2025 at 8:44 pm

      Ha ha – yes Barbara, that is true. Most of the Mallards at Heritage Park are in “eclipse phase” now, molting and both males and females have brown plumage and look the same. This Mallard had a real mad look. At least his feet were colorful!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. J P's avatar J P says:
    July 23, 2025 at 8:28 am

    That is a glare worthy of Daffy Duck from the old cartoons! Sufferin’ succotash!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. dawnkinster's avatar dawnkinster says:
    July 23, 2025 at 11:03 am

    Love duck feet!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Laurie's avatar Laurie says:
    July 23, 2025 at 11:29 am

    I wonder why ducks often have that disgusted look on their faces. He’s getting his winter coat on!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 23, 2025 at 8:51 pm

      I know! Laurie, my original title was “All this disgruntled duck needs is a pair of spectacles low down on its bill.” At Heritage Park recently most all of the Mallards were in “eclipse phase” and you couldn’t tell them apart as they were all brown.

      Like

  8. Debbie D.'s avatar Debbie D. says:
    July 23, 2025 at 2:00 pm

    Priceless facial expression! 😆

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 23, 2025 at 8:53 pm

      Yes! I have no idea why it gave me such a nasty look. I wanted to say it needed a pair of spectacles low down on its bill and it would be even more disgruntled looking. 🙂

      Like

  9. Terri Webster Schrandt's avatar Terri Webster Schrandt says:
    July 24, 2025 at 12:17 am

    Are they molting already, Linda? Great shot!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 24, 2025 at 7:26 pm

      Thanks Terri! This duck looked so grumpy and I am sure it was from molting. Yes, they are molting already – usually they begin in July and go thru early September (from what I notice as I see a lot of mallards and a lot of feathers in those months). At Heritage Park the other day, most of the Mallards were brown, as male and female who are in “eclipse phase” all look the same.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog's avatar Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog says:
    July 24, 2025 at 2:03 am

    Duck-like creatures existed way back in the Cretaceous. It’s great about how they’ve been around for so very long. (And, actually, they are a type of dinosaur.)

    Liked by 2 people

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 24, 2025 at 7:29 pm

      Hopefully they will be around for a very long time too Tom. Since the heat subsided for a few days (not today – our heat index was 104 degrees), I got out to some parks I usually frequent, staying on the asphalt and concrete due to the tick population here which has exploded in recent weeks. Most all the Mallards were already in “eclipse phase” – all of them were molting and/or brown.

      Like

  11. indianeskitchen's avatar indianeskitchen says:
    July 24, 2025 at 10:24 pm

    Looks like somebody is having a bad day!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 25, 2025 at 8:13 pm

      Yes, it does doesn’t it Diane? Mallards don’t usually look mad like that … I guess it is not happy about molting and looking a little shabby. 🙂

      Like

  12. AnnMarie Stevens's avatar AnnMarie Stevens says:
    July 25, 2025 at 9:46 am

    Miss linda……………………………………….because of you I’m learning the differnce between ducks and have learned a lot because of your blogs…………………………our new place isn’t by any water…………………………..

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 25, 2025 at 8:17 pm

      Thank you Ann Marie … I am happy to pass on what I learn along the way. I actually saw some people from your new place when I visited Heritage Park the last time. There was a group outing and they were having lunch. I know you will miss your pond after all these years.

      Like

  13. trumstravels's avatar trumstravels says:
    July 27, 2025 at 8:02 am

    He looks a little raggedy!

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Amorina Rose's avatar Amorina Rose says:
    July 27, 2025 at 8:01 pm

    I don’t now much about them but I think there is some attitude going on.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Prior...'s avatar Prior... says:
    July 29, 2025 at 12:33 am

    I know the photo was about the molting and his fun look with the beak – but I jept getting drawn to the wonderful color of the orange feet

    Liked by 1 person

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