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Wonderful.
Very well managed exposure.
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BPN Member
That is a beautiful display, Mike.
Sharp as can be, nice angle, and the bubbles are cool.
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Lifetime Member
Mike, interesting pose with the raised backside, and I do like the feather detail. Good low perspective, HA, and would be interested to know what was causing the bubbles.
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Thanks to all for the comments!
Stuart, the bubbling is part of a breeding display.
They raise their heads, tail, and the two tufts of feathers on top of their head, inflate their chest, and then "drum" on their chest with their bill which creates the bubbles.
Don't know if the bubbles come from air between the feathers or if they have some sort of air sac that they inflate. They also make some strange sounds while doing this.
I found a short video clip of the behavior captured at the same pond where I took the photo, only one month later ... might even be the same duck! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1b4MPaJVyo
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Lovely low angle, exposure and comp. Very nice image, Mike.
Where in Port Aransas was this taken if I may ask. Might make a day trip one of these days. Any tips on hotspot would be appreciated.
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Lifetime Member
Mike,
This is lovely and thanks for the link on the bubbling behavior. I really enjoyed seeing it.
Love the low perspective and the EXP is excellent,
Gail
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Avian Moderator
Mike:
If ever there was a 'cartoon' duck, it has to be these guys. What funky characters they are, between the colors and the turned up tail.
Nicely executed image, with interesting behaviour well captured.
Cheers
Randy
MY BPN ALBUMS
"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton
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Originally Posted by
Sidharth Kodikal
Where in Port Aransas was this taken if I may ask. Might make a day trip one of these days. Any tips on hotspot would be appreciated.
This was taken at the Turnbull Birding Center in Port Aransas. It was a great spot for Ruddy Ducks, Green and Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Moorhen, the occasional Cinnamon Teal, and Least Bittern if you get really lucky. It's a little tough for photography as it is a boardwalk situation but I managed to lay flat on the boardwalk and still stay out of people's way. Not the most comfortable shooting position but it was effective. My other favorite spot in the area was a beach in Mustang Island State Park on the Corpus Christi Bay side. It was at the end of an unmarked sand road at the southern end of the State Park and I got Dunlins, Long-billed Curlews, Gull-billed and Least Terns, and very reliable White-morph Reddish Egrets. There's also Paradise Pond in Port Aransas which is known for being a warbler hotpsot during migration but not much was going on while I was there.
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Post a Thank You. - 1 Thanks
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Great image Mike! I like the expressive face, pose, HA and bubbles.
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Captures the character of the bird and its behaviour very well. The base of the bill looks a little blown on this screen (I'm not at my own screen and this one is not great). Exposure looks great generally.
This reminds me of the days from before the (introduced) Ruddy Duck was eradicated (almost) here to protect the native European stifftail White-headed Duck.
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Having seen this again on my own screen the bill does not look blown, so I'll take that back!
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Well done, Mike! Thanks for sharing that video clip too - what an interesting behavior.
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Nicely done Mike! What a great species
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Mike, a fine shot. liked the head turn, your exposure and the bubbles. loved the blacks. terrific dynamic range in this one.
With a long lens, shooting from boardwalks can work...it just doesnt( for swimming ducks) with shorter lenses...unless you want a reflection shot angle.
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That's a good one Mike. It has lots of interest - flipped up tail, bubbles, colours, head angle. And with exposure hanging on to both lights and darks you got it spot on.
Sidharth Kodikal thanked for this post
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