MALLARD MAKING THE NEWS

A DRAKE mallard hijacked a photo-shoot at a Bovis Homes event at Chalgrove in Oxfordshire.

Just as the camera clicked, the bird 'photo-bombed'.

Colin Dean, area sales director at Bovis Homes, commented: “The barmy bird came out of nowhere, nearly hitting us.

"It was like something out of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, but we kept our composure and continued to smile."

Alex Perkins, Bovis Homes’ photographer, said the duck’s near-miss took everyone by surprise.

“I could see the duck out of the corner of my eye, but I had no idea it was going to swoop in like that - fortunately, no one was hurt."

Note:  Bovis Homes' logo is a hummingbird in flight. 

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A POPULATION explosion of mallards at a country park in Bedford prompted authorities to destroy more than 4,500 mallard eggs  over three years  at a country park in Bedford.

Natural England approved a licence for their destruction after an unnamed applicant  claimed ducks caused a safety risk by waddling out on to roads in front of cyclists.

The controversial initiative, which  has caused outrage among residents, was featured in the weekend Press and in blogs by wildlife campaigner Jason Endfield  (jasonendfield.com)