BIRD is the word for this week’s Camera Club contest, and our snappers sent in some great shots of chicks, ducks and birds of prey.

As it is spring, many sent in pictures of fluffy chicks and ducklings.

Dominika Ko sent in an adorable picture of two yellow ducklings having a chat.

Eric Denton also sent in a snap of a baby bird; his fluffy owl was taken at Millets Farm Falconry Centre.

Roy Pyniger sent in a snap of a coot feeding its very fluffy babies and Mary Avery captured a great picture of a duckling which will soon turn into a beautiful swan.

Many members also sent in pictures of birds of prey.

Diane Braggs sent in a great snapshot of a Hawk at Millets Falconry Centre. One Kite is daring enough to swoop and grab some chicken in Melanie Burns drive.

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Lots of brilliant snap shots of owls were sent in this week and Steven Braggs sent in a picture of an owl at a Camera Club meet up at Millets Falconry Centre. He has captured a great action shot of the owl swooping down and flapping its wings.

One more comical picture sent in by Bryan Robertson shows a messy owl which looks like it has just stepped out the bath.

Many of the pictures this week are full of colour and Mark Guschtscha’s snap of a swan on Port Meadow looks fantastic with the sun setting in the background. Jeff Higgs’ flamingo is also brilliantly colourful and Ian White’s Kingfisher at Shrike Meadow in Farmoor is also eye catching.

Bob Girling took a snap of a robin singing during a walk in the Bank Holiday sunshine.

A blue heron is eating lunch in a botanic garden in Bob Weatherhead’s snap and one heron is having a scratch in Tony Steele’s picture.

Wendy Meagher sent in a picture of gulls having a fight on Brackley Lake and Gordon Craig took a snap of a duck drying its wings.

The winner of this week’s Camera Club competition will be announced in tomorrow’s paper and next week’s theme is ‘sunset and sunrise’.