Bufflehead

Gallery: AvianPosted December 3, 2011190 views9 comments

I was lucky to spot this Bufflehead drake at the refuge yesterday and get some nice closeups of the elusive duck. The shot was taken from my car using a beanbag rest for the lens. He was about 10 feet below me in a refuge slough next to the roadway.

Larger image available, "Thanks for stopping!"

canon 7D
canon 600mm f4.L IS USM + 1.4 TC
F/7.1 +1 1/250 ISO 640
auto window beanbag rest, CS4, LR3, NIKs suite

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on December 3, 2011 at 9:34 PM

Really nice, Craig. You got some detail in both blacks and whites, and the head turn is super, picking up those gorgeous colors. Water is nice too. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on December 3, 2011 at 10:49 PM

Nice one, Craig. There is almost a spotlight effect on the duck which is very nice. Excellent control of the whites.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Sonja Otto on December 3, 2011 at 11:45 PM

Beautiful overall picture. I have seen many Buffleheads but never got close enough to notice the iridescent green in the head. I like the head position, and the water seems so silky. You can also see the foot under that glass-like water. Very nice.

Registered on February 15, 2011, 0 Posts, 21 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on December 3, 2011 at 11:56 PM

I have never been able to get this close, nice to see the iridescent colors on the head, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on December 4, 2011 at 5:36 PM

Nice head turn with good body. Like the iridescence...

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on December 4, 2011 at 6:59 PM

Nice head turn, great detail and color. Really like this one.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on December 4, 2011 at 7:51 PM

I like the iridescence and the light on the water. Nice to see that foot too. A lower angle would have made the image stronger IMO.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on December 5, 2011 at 4:35 PM

I like the feel of this shot Craig. Nice exposure and detail. The water rings add IMO.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on December 6, 2011 at 10:19 PM

Wow, these guys are so hard to get detail on the head in my experience, you have done an amazing job here. The eye even stands out. Very beautiful.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments