With Malice

[dankearl]

Time after time I watched this large Drake Mallard attack and appear to try and drown a juvenile female/male? mallard.
I have never seen this behavior before in Ducks.
1/320
f6.3
iso400
420mm (300f2.8 w/ 1.4)
SB600 flash fill

DSC_1850nx3.jpg (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=101093&stc=1&d=1316753258)

[Ron Sprunger]

Wow! Fascinating behavior, Dan, and another killer image. Great job with the flash. Don't know about ducks, but I watched some adult coots attacking juveniles with a fury in July. It'll be interesting to hear some of the experts on what you have here.

[arash_hazeghi]

Dan I think they are mating ;) nice low angle and details

[Ofer Levy]

Another beautiful behaviour shot! I also think they are mating as I have seen this many times. Same processing as in your previous shots. :w3

[noelle zaleski]

yup.... mating. I have seen this before.

Nice behavioral image :S3:

[gail bisson]

Nice behavioral shot. I have never seen this before either. Talk about unsafe sex!!:bg3:
Gail

[Cody Covey]

Yes definitely mating. I have seen it where there is about 7-8 males all on top of a female that is completely submerged under water.

[Mital Patel]

Dan

this is beautiful image and moment you have captured.

Sorry Ofer this is 2nd time i am processing over to yours.

I have clipped White point to about 224 in Levels and gave little S-Curve..
might still the masking highlight on water would help..

Finally I removed the blue cast with Nik Color-EFEX.

may be i am not expert on that part so will let it open for Artie to suggest.

[dankearl]

I am starting to get a complex here!
Just kidding, thanks both Ofer and Mital for taking the time to repost.
In this case, I prefer mine, I did saturate the colors some but I like the darker mood of the photo.
Interesting, on my Mac, they always look brighter (and I have calibrated it), than when I view them
on a PC at my office.
I will take you guys word on the mating, although, it is September, and I didn't think Mallards mate at this time of year.

[Ofer Levy]

I am starting to get a complex here!
Just kidding, thanks both Ofer and Mital for taking the time to repost.
In this case, I prefer mine, I did saturate the colors some but I like the darker mood of the photo.
Interesting, on my Mac, they always look brighter (and I have calibrated it), than when I view them
on a PC at my office.
I will take you guys word on the mating, although, it is September, and I didn't think Mallards mate at this time of year.

I actually prefer Mital's repost as it is slightly darker and more natural. Yours is definitely too dark - you should re-check the calibration of your monitor IMHO.
If you check the LEVELS in photoshop you will see how dark it is.
I have seen birds mating in September - I guess the similer radio day/night as in the spring can be a trigger.:w3

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

I have such a paranoid complex myself that my moniter is off and all the work I do that looks so good to me is nothing like what anybody else is seeing. I do agree that the original is a little dark and I also prefer Mital's as Ofer has stated darker and a bit more natural. Great shot by the way.