alanpeterson

Duckling Splash

A young Wood Duck shakes off its bill while feeding in Sequoia Park.

A young Wood Duck shakes off its bill while feeding in Sequoia Park.
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NIKON D500

settings

Aperture f/8 ISO 640 Shutter 1/2500 Focal Length 8000/10

upload_date

May, 2017

Views

875

Likes

+159

Awards

People's Choice in ducks and geese Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+46

Top Choice

Magnificent Capture

Superb Composition

Absolute Masterpiece

Virtuoso

Genius

All Star

Superior Skill

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

A Barn Swallow feeding its fledglings at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.

As a Gentoo Penguin chick wakes up from a nap, its parent bends over for a feeding.

A young Northern Harrier patrols the freshwater ponds at Arcata Marsh as the sun sets.

A Chinstrap Penguin cares for its chicks on a rookery above Orne Harbor along the Antarctic Peninsula.

A Short-eared Owl at sunset in Arcata Bottoms

An Anna's Hummingbird is startled by a passing bee.

Rays of sun piercing the fog in a spruce forest at Patrick's Point State Park.

The forests in Trinidad, California reach right up to the edges of the oceanside bluffs. As the sun sets over the pacific, the branches are bathed in

A Mallard quacks at an approaching Greater Yellowlegs as the sun sets at Arcata Marsh's brackish pond.

A Great Egret swallowing a fry in the McDaniel Slough tidal wetlands at Arcata Marsh

Sun beams in the fog at Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park.

An Osprey was perched on a tree over the path that lead back to my car at Clear Lake, California. I thought it would fly away as I walked under it, bu

A Short-eared Owl takes off after an unsuccessful dive while hunting at dusk in the Mad River Slough Wildlife Area.

The Great Gray Owl visiting Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park perches on the fence near the road and scans the embankment for voles.

A harbor seal sits on a rock, shrouded by the coastal fog on Trinidad State Beach.

Hugo (top) and Olaf (bottom) from a portrait shoot for the HumCats cat art festival.

One Short-eared Owl trying to steal a vole from another at Arcata Bottoms.

Another Wood Duck drake has visited Sequoia Park.

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Behind The Lens

Location

This duckling is from Sequoia Park in Eureka, California. A small pond in a wooded canyon there serves as ideal habitat for Wood Ducks, and a pair of nest boxes installed by a volunteer last year has made it easier for them to breed on site.

Time

This was taken during the late afternoon. With towering trees on three sides of the pond, there are only a few hours of sunlight that reach the water toward the accessible shores. Afternoons are the best time for duck photography in Sequoia Park.

Lighting

Only natural light is at work here.

Equipment

I took this photo with a Nikon D500 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom, handheld.

Inspiration

Wood Duck drakes have some of the most striking colors found in waterfowl, and their ducklings are absolutely adorable. I always make at least a couple trips during their breeding season to photograph and film them in Sequoia Park.

Editing

I made basic color balance and contrast curve adjustments to the image and cropped it for composition.

In my camera bag

For bird photography, I use a Nikon D500 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom, which I sling over my shoulder with a padded strap while hiking.

Feedback

Wood Ducks are wary of people, so it usually takes a considerable amount of time sitting silently in one spot before they swim in for a closeup shot like this. I recommend picking a spot that has a clear view of their regular feeding areas and finding a position that allows you to sit comfortably while still operating your camera. Instead of a tripod or a monopod, try resting your camera on a large sandbag or a plank of wood to get your lens closer to your subject's eye level.

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Duckling Splash