Mallard at the Louvre!

Black-headed gulls are the most common bird on the ponds next to the Louvre's main Pyramid, but today there was only a lone mallard (canard colvert in French)--a male in breeding plumage, with his head shining bright green in the late afternoon sun. For a while the duck stayed close to the edge, hoping for food, and indeed got some. As always when shooting birds I took many images--especially because the green iridescence was always fleeting. I chose this one because of the blue speculum on the duck's flank, which echoes nicely the the blue of the pond.

Today was the first Sunday of the month, so the Louvre was free (as with most of Paris's public museums). We took advantage by spending most of our time with the medieval ivories in the decorative arts galleries--spectacular!