Nice Tail, If I Do Say So Myself

Long-tailed Duck preening, from early March at Barnegat jetty. I found it amazing that he could just loll around preening in the rather choppy water.

D7000, 700mm, ISO 800, 1/3200s @ f/8 manual (set in hopes of a flight shot); gitzo and mongoose.

Bill Sir, what a wonderful composition..??,the image is well balanced b/c of his long tail and beautiful eye.
Love the tack sharp and great details in whites,colors of eye, pink beak and blue. TFS.

Regards,
Satish.

Bill,

I'd get sick and be puking all over my feathers if that were me!

I like the composition for this one, really helps the tail really pop. Wondering if you have a capture where you can see a bit more of the body. Either way a nice keeper!

Miguel

I love the way the bird is a bit secluded in the waves.
Strong composition adn control over darks and whites.

greetings,

Jeroen Stel

The composition is excellent and image really well balanced. Could also see a sliver more room on the right for the "virtual" head to turn into and the same amount taken off the LHS..
I find myself liking the way he is tucked into the rolling waves but also wish I could see more of his body.
Terrific POV considering the height of the jetty. You must have been hanging over the edge!!
Love the lines of the OOF waves in the BG.
IQ good as always,
Gail
PS I see some zigzaggy lines in RUC. Not sure what they are.

Thanks all. Gail and Miguel, I do have a few frames in which he is sitting higher in the water showing more of his body, and the IQ is better in those since he had drifted closer to me by then; but in those, his bill is tucked under his feathers, so all you see is his eye. I liked those almost as well, but so far I have only processed this one. Gail, I'm not seeing the zigzaggy lines - but I know your eyes are sharper than mine. I didn't do any cloning on this, as far as I recall. But on closer inspection I think I should have boosted the NR just a bit.

Nice one, i like the details on the bird and the lovely tone of the water

Wonderful composition. I always have trouble composing a shot with birds like this, and you did it very well.

Water texture and pose are terrific and the comp as noted is very nice.
These long ducks are a compositional challenge and this about perfect.

I like this one allot. The comp is perfect and the exposure and detail are nice. I like the rolling water and the position of the duck in it. Well done.

lovely image! excellent comp, details & colors.

Nice pose and perfect exposure, Bill.

Thanks everyone.