Juvenile Long-tailed Duck

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Photographed at Barnegat Light when the water was much calmer than the other day: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55623 :)

http://www.pbase.com/axelhi/image/121041946/original.jpg

1D4, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/500s, f/8, EC +0.67, ISO 400

[Matthew Studebaker]

Beautiful duck. Great detail in the entire dynamic range. Perfect pose. I do wish it was placed a little higher in the frame so that we could see more of the reflection and less negative space at the top.

[Stu Bowie]

As the reflection is not clear, I would leave the comp as is. Your usual high standard of exposure, and I like the pose with the slightly raised tail. I also like the pastel colours of the BG too.

[Fabs Forns]

well, he is a ham!!! Look at that face, totally adorable.
I also like the compo as is and love the tail.

[Declan Troy]

Hey Axel,

Lovely shot with great detail. Perhaps too much detail as I see so many things that suggest too me that this is an adult bird. So rather than bore most admirers let me just ask why you think this bird was born last summer?

[Ilija Dukovski]

Great bird and detail, excellent colors in the BG too. I think I see a bit of noise in the BG, did you brighten it a lot?
Perhaps a round of NR?

[Steve Maxson]

Very cool, Axel. I like the pose, sharpness, exposure, comp, and the subtle colors in the background. Very well done.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Hey Axel,

Lovely shot with great detail. Perhaps too much detail as I see so many things that suggest too me that this is an adult bird. So rather than bore most admirers let me just ask why you think this bird was born last summer?

Thanks, Declan! I'm certainly no expert but the head and chest plumage is lighter than that of adult males. For comparison, here is an image of an adult non-breeding male:

http://www.pbase.com/axelhi/image/121012319/original.jpg

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great bird and detail, excellent colors in the BG too. I think I see a bit of noise in the BG, did you brighten it a lot?
Perhaps a round of NR?

Thanks, Ilija! I don't mind this level of noise and if memory serves right, I didn't run any NR on the BG. The exposure was fine, I only toned down the whites in the plumage.

[Ilija Dukovski]

Thanks, Ilija! I don't mind this level of noise and if memory serves right, I didn't run any NR on the BG. The exposure was fine, I only toned down the whites in the plumage.
Sound good, thanks for the info.

[Declan Troy]

Hi Axel,

Indeed your bird is a long-tailed duck of a different feather but I don't think it is age related. The nomenclature of plumages and molts can get a bit unwieldy and long-tailed ducks are even more complicated than most ducks but a "juvenile" male would not have the long tail feathers or the wonderful long white scapulars that both of your images show.

Here is a shot of 4 long-tailed ducks that I believe show a subadultmale, adult female, adult male, and subadult female. Note the young male is starting to show a bill pattern and eye is starting to lighten but still looks more like the others than the adult male. Sorry I couldn't get them all in focus and looking towards me.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4313214394_c16252a8cb_o.jpg

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Declan, you think it is an adult bird? Maybe I should post this image in the ID forum, sounds like an interesting topic.

[Declan Troy]

Yeah in a round about way that is what I was saying. I'd call it an atypical, albeit attractive, plumage adult.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Hey Axel
Lovely comp. I would leave a little more room below too. Still love the pose. You are usually pretty spot on with all aspects of your presented images but this one seems to need a little CW rotation? Do you feel that way at all? Of course it could well be an optical illusion on my behalf. :)

Cheers

[Kiran Poonacha]

I just love this duck axel, nice pose, details, expo and angle..

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Hey Axel
Lovely comp. I would leave a little more room below too. Still love the pose. You are usually pretty spot on with all aspects of your presented images but this one seems to need a little CW rotation? Do you feel that way at all? Of course it could well be an optical illusion on my behalf. :)

Cheers


Thanks, Ákos! I think I could do some CW rotation and I would have done if it were a lake or river. At the open sea I try to go by the horizon with more or less success. :)

[Wayne Richardson]

Hi Axel

Long-tailed Ducks probably have the most complex series of plumage changes of any duck as they develop. Both sexes have 3 moults resulting in 4 plumages! :eek:

The interesting aspect here, is that it appears to be moulting from autumn (Fall) plumage directly to summer, so missing out the familiar winter stage. Both the dark breast band & relatively long tail would rule out 1st winter males, which can be extremely variable. However, sub-adults are much like adults from around August of their 2nd year. Perhaps this is such a bird, rather than a full adult?

Cheers: Wayne

PS: Posted on your thread in ID forum too.