Kiss me quack!
These canoodling love birds were caught on camera at WWT Washington Wetland Centre.
The image of the white-faced whistling ducks (which are actually ‘alopreening’, or mutually preening, one another’s feathers) is just one of dozens of entries so far in the WWT Photography Competition 2011-12, being held in association with Canon and in celebration of the Scott Antarctic Expedition Centenary.
The photogenic species carries out the grooming ritual as a prelude to breeding and can typically be seen ‘performing’ during June and July.
With prizes worth £50,000 up for grabs – including trips to Antarctica and New York State – keen snappers have until 30 November to enter the first of four seasonal deadlines in the annual competition.
For further info, please visit www.photo.wwt.org.uk