Mallard ducks out of the rain

Wednesday 12th August 2009, 1:09PM BST.

The picture shows a Mallard using one of the units Augusta 109 helicopters as cover from the elements.

A mallard shelters from the rain under an Augusta 109 helicopter at RAF Shawbury.

Nice weather for ducks – or is it? This summer has proved so much of a washout that even the ducks have had enough.

This mallard appears to have sought refuge from the wet weather by sheltering underneath a helicopter at RAF Shawbury.

Shropshire Star weatherman John Warner said the county had faced a washout over the last few weeks and could expect “more of the same” weather in the days to come.

Mr Warner said there may be some truth to the belief that whatever the weather is like in the middle of July it could continue to be the same through August.

He added: “Certainly at the moment it looks like being mostly unsettled in the next 10 days.

“That’s getting us through to almost the end of August. We had a little bit of respite over the weekend. Certainly July was dreadful in Shropshire. Sunshine was way down on average and rainfall was well above average.

“Tomorrow looks as though it might be a halfway decent day but it goes downhill on Friday again.”

The duck was spotted by Pat Brunning, who works in the visiting aircraft section at RAF Shawbury.

Mr Brunning said: “We were looking out of the window amazed at how much rain we were getting, looked across at the Augusta 109 and noticed that the lady mallard had perched herself underneath the aircraft protecting herself from the rain.”

By Deborah Collins

View more: RAF Shawbury news.