AN AMATEUR photographer captured the incredible moment a mother duck managed to rescue her duckling from the grips of a hungry gull.
Nick Card captured a series of images showing how the mallard duck and its kin “miraculously” coming out on top at the Loch of Stenness in Orkney on Saturday.
One image shows the blacked-backed gull swooping down and grabbing a newborn fluffy ducking as the mother latches onto the its back.
Another shot shows the pair battling it out as the duckling’s little legs are shown dangling down from behind the gull’s wings.
A third photograph then shows the lucky duckling falling from the grasps of the gull and back towards the loch, thanks to the help from its fierce mother duck.
Nick revealed the black and shire duckling landed back in the water and seemed fine after becoming dangerously close to being the gull’s next meal.
Speaking today, Nick said: “I usually have a camera with me, keep an eye out for anything that’s a bit different.
“There was just this gull circling and I knew there was a new family of mallard ducks in that same boot.
“So I thought it was going to have ago.
“It flew down and so I just pointed the camera.
“I thought it was worth recording and sharing this event where for once the ducking seemed to come out best.”
He added: “I’ve seen gulls take a range of things.
“It ‘s seen as something quite disturbing but it’s all really just part of nature.
“I think some people think of gulls as just being like vermin, but no doubt the gulls are just trying to feed their own young.
“It’s all just part of the rich cycle of nature and life.“
Nick posted the images on Facebook on Saturday (2 JUL), writing: “Life, death and a ‘miraculous’ escape on Loch of Stenness this evening as a lesser black-backed gull swoops down to pick off a new mallard chick – but they met their match with the mother mallard who launched herself at the gull and latched onto the gull’s wing.
“In the last image you can see the released ducking dropping back into the loch seemingly none the worse from its ordeal.
“Back-backed made several more attempts but each time mum mallard saw it off.
“Drama unfolded quite a way off so images not as sharp as they could be.”
The post attracted over 200 likes and comments from impressed wildlife photography fans.
One said: “Drama indeed. So happy for the wee lucky ducking and it’s brave mum.”
Another wrote: “Wow amazing shots. Well caught.”
A third commented: “Amazing. Well done, you will never get that again.”
And a fourth added: “Well done brave Mama Duck.”
