Hooded Merganser Parading Maple Leaves.

[Daniel Cadieux]

This very cooperative female Hooded Merganser was such a fun subject for a few days recently. These guys are notoriously flighty over here, so when this tame one hung around I took full advantage. When coming up from one of her dives, she did so through a floating carpet of fallen leaves - with a couple of those clinging to her side and she pranced around for a few moments before diving again. Distraction or positive addition? Your call, but with the maple leaf being the symbol of our flag, this image is of patriotic value for this Canadian:t3

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/320s., f/5.6, ISO 1600, natural light, handheld, about 75% FF, some water cleanup.

[Volkan Akgul]

hi Daniel,

table taste autumn frame and bird species. Congratulations. A click of contrast can be added for me.

[Dorian Anderson]

Now that's image says "Autumn"! Dappled BG looks nice, and the left really makes this a memorable image. More DOF towards rear would have been nice, but you didn't have the light and the perfect head angle keeps our focus mostly up front. Stellar result for 1/320!

[dankearl]

Nice angle and the leaf if nice.. I might clean up the water spots a bit...

[Arthur Morris]

Too, too cool. I'd lose the one specular highlight in the water ...

with love, artie