There is a small window of opportunity during the fall when these guys come through and stay for a couple of weeks fattening up on shallow water vegetation before disappearing right before water freeze-up. Luckily this coincides with peek fall colours. Sometimes it takes patience to wait while one glides by in just the right "clean" spot - this one here did just that.
Canon R6 + 500mm f/4 II, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/2000s., f/4, ISO 1600, natural light, handheld, a few specks removed from the water, and a couple of highlights tamed in the BG. Cleaned up odd reflections in the eye.
Those colors are awesome, and the super clean surrounds look great. Keeping the detail on the forehead can be tough, but you did really well here. I like the wider crop a lot!
What a great looking BG and FG.....The duck aint bad either....Lovely detail, good HA and brilliant POV....The reflection adds....Well done Dan ....you captured the Autumn colours perfectly.