Lesser Scaup

[gail bisson]

Taken last summer in Kamloops BC Canada
Canon 1DX
600mm
ISO 1000 SS 1/1250 7.1
Cropped to ~80% FF
Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from with thanks,
Gail

[Marina Scarr]

What a stunning duck and image. I've never seen one in these colors! Great low angle and having the duck surrounded in green works so well. It's a very calming image!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Handsome fella, you did very well with the sharpness...the head and neck look like velvet. Super nice low angle. Nicely done.

[Richard Gollar]

Amazing shot so sharp well done

[Karl Egressy]

Amazing image, Gail. Love the pose and the purple color of the head.

[christopher galeski]

agree with all the comments,loverly image ,well done.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, you have absolutely nailed the exposure here, as the colours on the head and neck show up so well. Whites look great too. Tack sharp, and the Duck pops so well against the smooth water BG. Well captured.

[keith mitchell]

Gail this one nearly swims out of my monitor, been well covered above,excellent.

Keith.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Absolutely beautiful, gorgeous colours and wonderful detail.
Although I do not think it is overexposed I firmly believe you could get some more detail out of the paler wing and flank feathers by using a luminosity mask, I think this would make the image even stronger..

[Rachel Hollander]

Gail - It all comes together nicely here. Low angle, beautiful detail, controlled exp, and nice bg. Well done.

TFS,
Rachel

[Joseph Przybyla]

Beautiful image Gail, I like it a lot. Marina picked up on the colors being different the normal Scaup, I wonder if it is a hybrid with more brown on the head and neck rather than the black and iridescent green. Thank you for sharing.

[Grace Scalzo]

What a clean image. Nice alert pose. I'm with the others on the colors, have never seen one that is brown-ish.

[Bill Dix]

Hi Gail. The background color is gorgeous, as is the Scaup. A stunning image.

[gail bisson]

Thanks all for your comments.
I am not a good enough birder to comment on whether this guy is a hybrid or not. He was definitely with a flock of lesser scaups and at least 3 other scaups were of the same coloring. I just assumed this was his top form breeding plumage.
Will send this to my friend- an ornithology professor,
Gail

[Ross Taylor]

Hi Gail,

I am a little late in commenting to this shot. Just wanted to say WOW. IQ is over the top. Feels like I could reach out and touch the bird. Love everything about it :)

TFS
Ross

[David Salem]

Fantastic frame Gail. Love the low perspective, the green Bg and the killer details. This is a Lesser Scaup, just not a fully finished drake. Well done

[Satish Ranadive]

Gorgeous image. Superb colours and wonderful details. Beautiful background and composition.
Love the golden eye and low shooting angle.

Regards,
Satish.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the alert pose, calm water, IQ and composition. Excellent image Gail!