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Just Ducky


Just Ducky
Photo Information
Copyright: Silke Force (Silke) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 727 W: 98 N: 1694] (5406)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-16
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70S, Sigma 18-200 mm (F3.5-6.3), Sigma UV 62 mm
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-07 8:57
Viewed: 552
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
As I walked around the edge of the pond just a few miles from my home, I could hear the gabbling of the ducks that were hidden by the tall weeds between myself and the edge of the pond. I stepped quietly and slowly toward a break in the shelter to see if I could get a little closer. Fortunately I held my camera on my shoulder to keep it clear of the weeds and was able to shoot very quickly. For there, almost close enough to touch, was this little lady. To be honest, I think she was as curious about me as I was about her, for surely her hearing is much better than mine! And then she was gone in a noisy flutter of wings and bright splashes.

The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is probably the most common and recognizable duck around the world and is believed to be the ancestor of all domesticated ducks.

I have seen various descriptions of the breeding behaviour, including one that said that the male fluffs up his feathers and thus attracts the female. On this day, however, I hung around the pond long enough to see something rather different. The first thing I noticed was that a male and female were swimming in lazy circles around each other for a very few moments. During this, they bobbed their heads up and down, dipping their beaks into the water on the downbeat and scooping up a little water. After a very short time, the act was initiated, with the male clambering on top of the female so that she was momentarily completely submerged. The most curious thing about this was that it took place in the fall, not an ideal time with the onset of winter just a few weeks away.

Tech: Shot in RAW, converted, cropped by 10%,resized, framed, signed and sharpened

Thanks for looking and have a wonderful day.
nglen, Patleboss, gracious, Hil, pablominto, jaycee, XOTAELE, eqshannon, MMM, red45, pierrefonds, angybone, jmirah, Necipp, Adanac has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To arfer: :DSilke 1 10-07 12:36
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2916 W: 34 N: 8651] (32250)
  • [2007-10-07 9:00]

Hi Silke, What a good close up shot of the Mallard duck. your sharp focusing gine fine edtail in the feathers and eye. with a nice top view. well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick,
Have a good week ahead.

nice lady duck....could she be introduced to mine!!!

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-10-07 9:31]

Hello Silke,
this is a nice photo of this duck.
+++ Very good POV that works well with the composition. Good details in the feathers which are defined by the sharpness. Decent DOF.
--- Nothing :)
Well done,
Joe

Hi Silke, very nice and sharph picture, very good focus and many details on the head of this beautifull female of mallard, I like so much the pose and the light into her eye
well done,
cheer,
friendly,
Pat

Hello Silke
Ypu have captured superb head and beak sharpness..This could almost be a portrait shot?
Best Regards
Paul

Hello my dear friend,
It's a good size of a good close up!
The clarity on the plummage is superb with natural colour and very details on the Mallard!
good job and well done
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 13 N: 1405] (5027)
  • [2007-10-07 10:31]

Hi Silke,

Superb shot of the Mallard, great pose and nicely composed with the head turned to one side, great colours and a nice catchlight in the eye.

TFS Hilary :o)

Hello Silke,
A lovely pose has been captured, and she looks happy (but that goes for all ducks all the time I think)..!
Well working DOF with good sharpness all over the head...
A well composed presentation!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-10-07 11:34]

Hi Silke,

A wonderful close-up of this Mallard. I love the face, beak, and eye. Details are wonderful and colors are lovely and natural. Interesting shot!

Jane

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-10-07 12:05]
  • [+]

Hello Silke

A lovely shot of this sweet Mallard hen.She has a pleasant look in her eye.The details are sharp with very good focus.Wonderful plumage detail and colours.The subject is well placed in the frame with a very good POV.TFS

Rob

And you have won any prize on this row. Very god then. I love Canards much and FYI I can buy them in Canada but US will not let me bring them back over. It's crazy...Well wishes.
Bob

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2007-10-07 14:38]

Hi Silke
Beautiful portrait.Very sharp image whit great DOF and very good details in the plumage.
TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2007-10-08 0:48]

Hi Silke!

Nice portrait of this quite common bird. I like high POV, pose with turned head, waves on water. Good photo.

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1112 W: 23 N: 3660] (13089)
  • [2007-10-08 3:00]

Hi Silke,
lovely natural colour and a super pose on your Mallard, i particularly like the almoat Olive colour of that beak. Good exposure too, very well done.
Paul

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2007-10-08 4:00]

Silke, Very nice and good closeup shot of this lovely duck. The focus is pretty sharp and lovely. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2007-10-08 4:29]

Hi Silke
Very beautiful shot this one! I like the POV and the composition. Good presentation and good note too.
Greetings
Maite

PT :)

Hi Silke,

A nice colose-up image of the duck, the photo has a good composition, sharpness and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

Great details! I love these fowl shots where each feather is this detailed. Great shot!

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2007-10-08 7:49]

Hello Silke, that's a very good portrait of Lady Mallard. Good focus on the eye and great natural colors. Well done,

Mario

Muy buenos detalles y estupendo el encuadre escogido.
Buena nota.
Saludos y tfs, JL.

Hi Silke,
An outstanding close-up of the duck. Excellent color, detail and POV. Very well captured.

TFS
Jim

Hello Silke a fine pov and portrait. Very sharp on the eye. Nice ducky tfs rgds Necip.

Hi Silke,
A beautiful capture of this duck. Nice details and composition. And ofcourse good notes too. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2007-10-10 15:27]

Hello Silke,
This is a beautiful portrait of a hen Mallard, sharp focus and great exposue allows a lovely view, thanks for sharing.
Rick

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