Guess my identity

Gallery: AvianPosted January 15, 2017273 views3 comments

La Nautique, Geneva, Switzerland
D810 300mm f2.8 G ED VR2 x tc 1.4 series 3
f/10.0 ISO 800 1/1600 s EV -0.33 WBA Handheld
Photoshop CS6

During my recent photo shoot of Red-crested Pochards I was somewhat distracted by what appeared to be a small number of Ferruginous duck hybrids swimming in the boat-float. This one was quite a mystery: it took off, flew a short distance and obligingly perched on submerged rope! I’m at a loss to comment on its identity. Although it has some of the attributes of the Ferruginous duck and Fulvous Whistling duck, neither species supports a pale blue iris.

Thanks for viewing
Your crits and suggestions are much aooreciated
David

Comments

3 comments

Comment posted by Jim Gavin on January 15, 2017 at 5:49 PM

Whatever it is, this is a fine photo of it. It's nice the full reflection is included. The upper left reflection(?) is a little bit distracting, but only a tiny bit.

Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 15, 2017 at 6:05 PM

I'm bad enough at American ducks, David, so I wouldn't even attempt this. Nice image with a cool rippled reflection.

devil

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on January 15, 2017 at 7:26 PM

Check out page 31 in the Collins Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe if you have it. It sure looks like the Ferruginous duck male with the white iris at the bottom of the page on the right. Perhaps the iris looks pale blue because of the water color. Nice image. I like the way the eye mirrors the color of the water in your photograph.

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