Black Duck pair

[John Chardine]

The American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) is endemic to North America and was one of the common ducks of the east. Then came the Mallard from the west and interbred with the Black and has genetically dominated it. Black Ducks seem to be slowly on the way out and so it is a treat to see them in their glory. The blue and black speculum is spectacular against the dark brown body.

I'm not sure about this image- mainly because of the bird in the BG- so I thought I'd try it out on people. I clipped the extreme tip of the BG bird's bill and had to add from a previous image of the same bird. Also cleaned up some blades of grass running over the birds.

40D, 500mm f4
capture date: Thursday, July 31, 2008 11:46:00 AM
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 400
shutter speed: 1/1000
aperture: f4.0
exposure bias: +0.0
metering: Pattern
flash: OFF
from car

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I really like this. It looks very dynamic and always great to see black ducks. I might give it a tad more room.

[Steve Canuel]

Hi John,
Handsome looking bird. I like the sharpness of the bird and the colors and BG. However, this two are too similar/close in pose and my eye keeps wanting to put them together into one bird (the body of the FG one and the raised wings & head of the rear one).
Steve

[Stephen Stephen]

John I too like Black ducks. The rear duck distracts me from the front one which is in excellent focus. Perhaps if the rear one was more offset in the frame it would not be a problem. The love the rear duck's pose though!

[Maxis Gamez]

Hi John,

I like it mainly because of the bird in the BG. Gives the image a nice behavior touch to it!

[Arthur Morris]

This is quite lovely. When I lived in NY I could never get within a mile of these birds. Excellent job of adding canvas in the front; it could have used a bit more room on the other three sides, esp. the bottom as it is close on the vitrual (webbed) feet. Though you could never have figured out that a double overhead wingstretch was coming, it would have been great to have been a foot to the right; then the front bird's head would have had a white frame around it--the underwing linings of the back bird.