Waterfowl; Sharing the Habitat

A Wood Duck Drake shares a warm sunlit cove with a pair of Mallards

Now that the spring waterfowl migrations are past, we are left with Wood Ducks and Mallards. Both species nest in our area and I am keeping a sharp look out for the first ducklings of the season.

Rain had soaked our area all day yesterday with skies beginning to clear as night fell. I arrived at the lake this morning at daybreak and was met with a stiff breeze and 41F temperature, not exactly ideal fishing conditions but it is my day off and I wasn’t about to miss an outing.

Fishing along the shoreline, I kept my camera handy and was rewarded with this image as I turned into a small cove around 7:30. A pair of Mallards was sharing the sunshine with a pair of Wood Ducks. I tried to capture all four ducks in the frame but the Woodie hen wasn’t about to stick around for the shot.

As a side note; Mallards when approached to closely, flush but the Woodies will typically swim to the shoreline and run into the woods before flushing if they even flush at all. I find observing the differing evasion tactics of the various species

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Mallard Explosion

A Painted Turtle looks on as pair of Mallard Drakes take flight

I must confess I did not notice the little turtle until I reviewed this capture, as my attention was riveted upon the beautiful Mallards.

As I rounded a bend in the lake shoreline the Mallards watched me intently. Once I had the camera setting readied I began closing the distance as usual running the boat at very slow speed waiting for the moment they exploded into flight.


When shooting take-off shots, it is always a difficult call as to the best combination of aperture and shutter speed. In many cases I find myself fighting for enough light but that was not the case here as the bright sun was at a high angle. I used a 1/500 sec. shutter for this shot which gave a sharp image of the duck’s bodies while still allowing a pleasing amount of motion blur on the wings.

Red-Breasted Merganser

As any regular visitor to Country Captures knows, I have been having a great time this spring photo-hunting waterfowl. I have become particularly focused on capturing wildlife action photos. I consider this photograph of a Red-Breasted Merganser to be among my top shots of the spring.

I have carried a keen interest in wildlife since my boyhood days and it has not dimmed one bit as the years pass. Early on my interest centered on hunting and fishing as this was the only way I knew to interact with these interesting creatures. As I matured my interest in wildlife drew me into the field of wildlife conservation where I served as a Pa. Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer for twenty three years.

Hunting presents a set of challenges that the hunter must overcome to become successful. The challenges begin with locating suitable habitat and locating the query to the end game of firing a well placed shot to bring the hunt to a successful conclusion.

I do continue to hunt for the table a little each year but now the camera has replaced the deadly weapons for the vast majority of my wildlife interaction. I find the challenges of wildlife photography are even more difficult than that of conventional hunting. Photography negates a few of the challenges that face the hunter as there are no set hunting seasons or bag limits to contend with. Also we can photograph where animals are to some degree acclimated to people; areas such as National Parks and nature reserves.

The photographer faces additional challenges such as amount of light, lighting angles, subject positioning, motion, and suitable backgrounds to mention a few.

I find a close encounter with wildlife that results in a successful image capture every bit as exhilarating and satisfying as any encounter in my younger years and much more so than bagging any animal does today.

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Ruddy Duck Hens

A couple of weeks ago I encountered a Ruddy Duck drake while visiting the lake and featured him on an earlier post. This past Saturday I bumped into a flock of hens. I don’t know if the hens and drakes migrate at different times or if this is purely coincidence.

A heavy coating of pollen along with the lighting angle created the unusual appearance of the water’s surface shown in this image.

A Rare Take-Off

A Loon creates a considerable commotion during take-off. The sunlight illuminating the loon and the flying spray against the dark background created what is one of my all-time favorite wildlife photographs.

Seldom have I witnessed Loons taking flight as they usually avoid intruders by quietly slipping under the water’s surface to reappear quite some distance away a couple of minutes later.

Shaking Off, Common Loon

A Loon, finished with fishing for the moment flaps its wings

I love watching the loons whenever I am on the lake. Most times they will be calmly sitting on the water closely observing their surroundings. Occasionally I have observed them intent upon fishing and at these times I can usually approach rather closely with the boat. This was the case on this day as the loon had located a large school of small fish and had been busily engaged while I made my approach.

After the school of fish disappeared, this Loon practically stood erect on the water shaking the water from its feathers. I like this shot not only for the subject but also the colors of the reflections on the water.

Wood Duck Drake

A pretty Wood Duck Drake standing guard on a fallen log

I first noticed the Wood Duck pair as I was fishing in a small cove off of the main body of the lake. The drake with his bright plumage stood out against the soft green & brown background, the hen with her drab brown colors blended in very well. Before I could approach within good camera range they began walking through the woods. I knew the land they were on was only a narrow strip with another cove only about twenty yards away. This situation gave me hope for here they were in the shadows but the next cove caught the morning sun very well. As the Woodies passed out of sight over the slight rise I turned the boat and headed for the next cove.

As I approached I kept the boat moving at the slowest speed my electric motor allows and stayed near the shore trying to stay out of sight until I was as close as possible. Rounding a little bend in the shoreline I spotted the Drake standing high upon this log. Below him sitting on the water was his mate. The drake watched me closely and began pacing the log as I drew nearer. Finally he and his mate grew weary of my company and winged away to a less crowded part of the lake.

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Lonely Little Ruddy Duck

I spied a lone Ruddy Duck male on the lake Friday morning. As I had never captured a good image of a Ruddy before I made an extra effort to approach him. I soon found this was no easy task for like a Grebe he would slip under the surface only to reappear quite some distance away.

I would have loved to have gotten closer but I am content with this image captured with the Canon 30D and a 100mm-400mm L lens.

What’s All the Flap About?

A Canada Goose stretches and flaps its wings before resuming feeding.

I played hooky from work Friday and have spent the last two mornings on my favorite lake. The spring waterfowl migrations are mostly past me now with only a few stragglers still passing through.

Today I spent more time fishing and less time with camera in hand. Nice Bluegills were popping on the surface and a little finesse with a Rapala Floating Minnow was all that was needed for surface busting hits.

Bad Hair Day!

And you thought You Had a Bad Hair Day!

Merganser Preening

Seeking Protection

I first encountered this little Pied-billed Grebe a couple of hundred yards from shore. As I approached with the boat, it quickly scooted underwater and reappeared some distance closer to shore. The Grebe continued eluding me with this maneuver numerous times; never allowing me to approach within range until it reached the shore where a flock of Canada Geese were feeding.

Apparently the Grebe was seeking safety in numbers or perhaps safety from its large friends for once it reached the geese it allowed me to approach well within photographic range. After the geese had flushed I looked around for the Grebe and soon it bobbed to the surface quite some distance out in the lake. The Grebe was obviously deferring to the geese’s judgment as to what was or was not safe.

Canada Flush

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t; this time the flushing shot was completely successful.

I first saw these geese as I rounded a point that opened into a small cove. The geese swam into the cove to avoid me and my boat. The wind was blowing into the cove so I allowed it to push my boat towards them with only minor direction adjustments with the trolling motor. As the boat neared the geese they became nervous and I readied the camera for the flushing shot I knew was coming.

The cove was very narrow with high trees on three sides so the only path of escape for the geese was to pass by me very closely. I considered attempting the shot at 200mm to 300mm as this would make framing the action much easier but decided to risk it all and keep the lens set at 400mm and either get a stunner or nothing at all. I used an F8 to give me some DOF. I hoped the 1/400th shutter speed was fast enough to give a sharp image while still allowing some motion blur.

This time it all came together!

Racing Mergansers

With beaks pointed straight ahead, crest laid back, eyes squinted and wings flapping these mergansers remind me of racing greyhounds.


While pursuing waterfowl with my boat, the closest shots are always at take-off. As I slowly approach (the slower the better) the birds first begin to show signs of nervousness. As the distance narrows they begin to maneuver for escape. Some species allow me to approach within range while others flush at a considerable distance. These mergansers decided enough was enough at about thirty yards.

When shooting these sequences I make my camera setting during the approach. As the birds begin to show signs of nervousness I begin framing and firing rapidly until they have flown out of sight or range. Each encounter leaves me wondering if I have captured anything worthwhile until I can review the images on my computer. Some of these encounters leave me with nothing but motion-blurred or out-of-focus images but enough do work to keep enticing me back for another round until the spring waterfowl migrations have passed by.

Pattering Buffleheads

The Bufflehead pair appears to run across the surface of the water, picking up speed in their rush to become airborne.

As has been my pattern lately; I again spent my morning quietly boating around my favorite lake in search of waterfowl and meal of fresh panfish and I was not disappointed.

Today was the first warm (50 deg F) morning I have been able to get out this spring. The highlight of the day was multiple sightings of an Immature Bald Eagle but sadly I was not able to get a good shot of it. One sighting that would have provided a good flight shot found me busy with my fishing rods while the camera was on the other end of the boat.

Mixing photography & fishing means that sometimes good images are missed because of fishing and of course some fish are missed as well but adding the Canon 30D & telephoto to my fishing kit has made my outings much more interesting.

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Vertical Take-Off, Leaping Quackers

No pattering here, a Mallard Drake appears to leap vertically into the air as I approached with my boat.

Boating for waterfowl this spring has been great fun. I have found the take-off techniques of the various species most interesting. Many ducks must patter during take-off while some like this Mallard are fully capable of near vertical flight.

Boot Scoot & Boogie

This pair of Canada Geese decided that I had approached too closely.

I discovered the geese on the creek that flows along our family farm. I approached them, camera at the ready, in hope of obtaining a good flushing capture.

Canon 30D, 100-400mm L, zoomed to 400mm, 1/125th sec, F5.6, ISO400.

Lucky Boy, Hooded Mergansers

This Hooded Merganser Drake must be considered quite the looker for he has two girlfriends.

This is another capture from my weekend boating. I recently completed another task on my honey-do list; that of painting our living room and hallway. This image, framed and matted became a part of our new decorating scheme.

On the Wing, Lesser Scaup

As I approached this pair of Lesser Scaup I began firing the camera, not until they took to the air did I get an image that made the grade. Lesser Scaup, like the Buffleheads are migratory visitors. According to my bird guides their nesting grounds are primarily in our upper Midwest and Midwestern Canada. If this is true they still have a long way to go before settling down for the summer.

During March and early April our area host many migrant ducks but as the weather warms only Mallards and Woodducks remain to nest. To date I have not captured a good shot of a Woody drake but I am working on it.

For those of you who are wondering, this is the little fishing machine that I pressed into photographic duty. It carries a 28hp gasoline engine on the rear and a 74lb. electric motor on the front. This particular lake, as many are, allows only electric motors to be used. For this I am thankful as it eliminates the disturbance created by speeding boats and allows all to have a quiet time on the water.

Lovely Buffleheads

Of all the ducks that pass through our area I think the Bufflehead drakes are up there near the top of the prettiest. Their brilliant white against a dark iridescent sheen creates an amazingly beautiful little creature.

Again this morning I took the boat in search of wildlife images. I noted Tom’s (Wom Tigly) comment about being able to approach wildlife better when using means other than walking. The boat is an advantage. As I am no saint and certainly cannot walk on water unless it is frozen it will take me places that I cannot go otherwise. The disadvantage is that we are not many months past the close of the duck hunting seasons. All of the migratory birds are veterans. The sight of a boat means trouble for along with it comes men, shotguns, and death. The ducks know what the effective range of the shotguns are and will flush before I can approach that close.

I have been using a 400mm lens on these excursions and it is bare minimum. All shooting must be done hand-held for sitting a tripod on a rocking boat would be of no help. Even with image stabilization and an ISO of 400 many of my shots do not exhibit the degree of sharpness that I desire. Focusing is also hit-or-miss since it is nearly impossible to hold the focus point on the subject for more than a moment. With that being said I have had enough success with the boat that I will definitely try to get in a few more runs before the migratory waterfowl has passed by.

Fishing is beginning to get underway here also. I dropped a line for a little bit this morning and picked up both a perch and a bluegill in 39 deg water. The first catch of ‘08

Common Loon

There is nothing common about the beautiful contrast and colors of the Common Loon.

Today I splashed my little boat for the first time this spring and took to the water in search of images. The air temp was 29 F this morning with a stiff North/North West breeze. This was my first attempt at photographing birds from the boat. Bobbing about in the small waves, driving the boat with a foot controlled electric motor, and trying to manipulate a 400mm lens all at the same time was quite a chore. Many of my shots ended in the recycle bin but there were enough keepers to make the morning more than a success.

This Loon allowed me to approach within about 30 yards. After I had shot about 40 images it tired of the game and dived. In a few minutes it resurfaced some distance away and I moved on in search of other subjects. The Osprey on my new header was another capture from this morning's boating excursion.

I will continue to post shots from our Florida trip interspersed with shots that I am currently capturing.