Female mallard duck with new ducklings, Anas platyrhynchos, strolling on garden patio in springtime at Swinbrook, the Cotswolds, UK

7 anas platyrhynchos animal families baby animals birth breeding british closeness copying cotswold scene custody ducklings england english countryside following great britain in the wild keeping safe keeping up leader leadership leading leading the way learning mallard duck new life newborn offspring oxfordshire patio patios protection rearing relationship relationships river scene rural scene staying close swinbrook teaching terracing the cotswolds uk united kingdom waddling water fowl waterfowl wild fowl wildfowl animal animal behavior animal behaviour animal instinct animals aves avians beauty in nature best bird birdlife birds botanical botany brood caring clutch companion companions companionship country gardens custodian cute day day old daytime early summer falling behind family group fatigue fauna feather female mallard fluffy garden scene getting left behind habitats happy family group hatchlings horizontal horticultural horticulture instincts keeping an eye open landscape landscapes life stages lifecycle mallards native british natural beauty natural habitat natural world nature nature photo nature photograph nature photography nature photos nature stock newly hatched nurture nurturing odd one out out for a stroll outdoor outdoors outside parent parenting picture perfect picture postcard view plant plants protecting reproduction river scenes rural scenes season seasons seven showing the way spring springtime stock image stock photograph stock photographs strolling survival tail feathers terrace tired together togetherness verdancy verdant scene walking water bird waterbird waterbirds wetland birds wild animals wildlife worn out young animals medium group of animals animal themes animal family young animal female animal cheerful colour image color colour nobody no one no people property released