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Tufted Duck


Tufted Duck
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4834] (14354)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-03-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 1D Mark II, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 USM IS
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-29 4:33
Viewed: 638
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this shot a couple of years ago at Welney - anout 15 miles from where I live. I am waiting for the waters to go down a bit and hope to get there in the next couple of weeks - both Whooper and Bewick Swans are arriving in numbers (see below).

The Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula is a medium-sized diving duck with a population close to one million birds.

The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.

The adult female is brown with paler flanks, and is more easily confused with other diving ducks. In particular, some have white around the bill base which resembles the scaup species, although the white is never as extensive as in those ducks.

The only duck which is at all similar is the drake North American Ring-necked Duck, which however has a different head shape, no tuft and greyish flanks.

The Tufted Duck breeds widely throughout temperate and northern Eurasia. It occasionally can be found as a winter visitor along both coasts of the United States and Canada. It is believed to have expanded its traditional range with the increased availability of open water due to gravel extraction, and the spread of freshwater mussels, a favourite food. These ducks are migratory in most of their range, and winter in the milder south and west of Europe, southern Asia and all year in most of the United Kingdom. They will form large flocks on open water in winter.

The Ouse Washes (of which Welney is part) are now of international importance and are designated a Special Protection Area for their wildfowl; there are nature reserves at WWT Welney and RSPB Ouse Washes. The washes are the largest area of frequently flooded (for an average of 22 days per year) grazing marsh in Britain. It is a Ramsar site, a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), as well as the Ouse Washes SSSI - a Site of Special Scientific Interest. With the advent of global warming, the washes now experience summer flooding also, and many birds are prevented from breeding in the area.[citation needed]

It is of national importance for Bewick's Swan (about 4,500 over-winter here)and Whooper Swan 3,00 over-winter). It also attracts wintering birds of prey, including Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon and Short-eared Owl. Redshanks, Lapwings and Snipe breed on the Washes in spring.
angybone, MMM, uleko, claudine, jaycee, cicindela, nglen, Evelynn, bobair, Janice, Argus has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi James
Nice shot of this Tufted Duck. Well presented green and black colours but you lost some details on the white part. Yellow eye on the black head looks good.
TFS
Ralf

Oh wonderful - little droplets on the duck are great. Such deep rich color. Lovely!

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 751 W: 0 N: 1506] (6872)
  • [2007-10-29 6:27]

Hi James
Nice presentation.very sharp image whit good POV.I like the water drop on your subject.Nice reflextion to.
TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2459 W: 168 N: 7421] (23442)
  • [2007-10-29 7:11]

Hello James,
Lovely sharp capture of the Tufted Duck with a nice reflection in the water. You've caught the beautiful colours of the plumage very nicely and the bright yellow eye. Well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Bufo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 422 W: 71 N: 984] (4241)
  • [2007-10-29 7:55]

Hello James,
I always thought that the head of the male had a blue glow until I took a picture of it and saw it was, in fact, green. Also well visible in your image. Fine sharp image with a well tufted ducky.
Regards, Jacob

Hello James,
This must be one of the most difficult birds to calibrate with these white and black colors... You did well with nice glance in his eye, good composition and POV. This is beautiful specie and as most ducks do, he also seems like he's smiling :) Well done!
Claudine

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1778 W: 8 N: 4605] (14893)
  • [2007-10-29 9:34]

Hi James,

You did a fantastic job with the blacks and whites on this adorable duck. Colors are wonderful with that bright yellow eye. Excellent details of the face and plummage. I love the pony tail and the silver beak.

Jane

Hello James!
What a funny duck species! I like a lot its colouration and "head-dress" :)
Interesting note too!
Best regards,
Radomir

Huh???? You have a home???? : )

What an attractive duck. I love his tuft. Can it raise it into an "afro" style like the common mergansers do? I love those too. His head looks like it would feel velvety soft. It is a nice capture.

TFS
Evelynn : )

hello james,
nice shot, liked the composition, good pov, lovely colours, good sharpness, the yellow eyes look beautiful here,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-10-30 7:23]

Hello James

A great shot of this tufted duck.It looks very similar to a scaup,(but with a hairdo).
The plumage detail is well defined.
Wonderful colour saturation ,the duck's eye is outstanding.
Nicely composed in the frame.
Excellent POV.TFS
Rob

Hello James,
This is a cute and attractive fellow, like most ducks he looks like a happy bird!
Lovely details, and the yellow eye is a real eye-catcher, hehehe!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1989 W: 5 N: 5528] (20896)
  • [2007-10-30 9:29]

Hi James. A nice shot of the Duck . with the water droplets over its body. good colours and fine detail in the feathers. with a refection in the water. well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • bobair Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 376 W: 77 N: 1150] (4268)
  • [2007-10-30 19:42]

Hi James,
very nice to see this fine looking duck he is a handsome devil.I have become very fond of ducks in general and as luck has it we live in a world with so many different types that I will never tire of them.A nicely detailed and focused shot with good colour and that neat looking tuft.Thanks for sharing this fellow. Bob

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3446 W: 144 N: 5883] (17434)
  • [2007-11-01 1:51]

Hello James
What a wonderful bird, good colours, a little OE on those whites - not easy to do especially against the dark feathers.
Those eyes are stunning, and that punk tuft of feathers.
Well done
Janice

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2597 W: 133 N: 7441] (23193)
  • [2007-11-01 8:33]

Hello James,
Great shot a Tufted Duck drake, with fine details of the plumage and tuft as well as a nice sprinkling of water droplets. Fine lighting and composition in the wavy water.
Well done and TFS!
Ivan

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