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My Favorite


My Favorite
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1036 W: 1 N: 3970] (13366)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-22
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): CeltickRanger's favorite Anatidae photos [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-06-25 15:28
Viewed: 392
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi All,
My Favorite duck is this stocky little guy, the Ruddy Duck. I think it is because my first car was a 64 Ford Falcon and it was the color of their beaks. They also have a bunch of attitude when mating season is on and they swim around with their tail raised then bounce up and down in the water making circle form around them. This fellow was captured at Murray Lake.
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
General Description

By Andrew Slater


The Ruddy Duck breeds on shallow lakes all over Alberta, except in the Rocky Mountains. It spends the winter on lakes and estuaries in the southern and western United States, and in Mexico.

Because the Ruddy Duck prefers shallow lakes, it does not arrive in Alberta until these are beginning to thaw in mid-April. It leaves again in October, with a few stragglers staying into November.

This diving duck feeds mainly on the seeds of aquatic plants. It will also eat leafy plants and invertebrates.

The nest is suspended over water between cat-tails or rushes. Occasionally the Ruddy Duck will utilise an old muskrat nest.
vanderschelden, bobair, jaycee, NinaM, goldyrs, sandpiper2, gerbilratz, eqshannon, CeltickRanger, SelenE, nglen, Art_R, uleko, mariki has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Rick,
This is your favorite duck:-). The Ruddy duck also known as the Blue 64 Ford Falcon duck:-)
Definitely an extraordinary color for a duck let alone for a car.
No kidding. It's a beautiful duck and you captured
this Ruddy Duck very well.
Thanks and greetings,
Annick

  • Great 
  • bobair Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 368 W: 75 N: 1125] (4182)
  • [2008-06-25 15:49]

Hi Rick,
this sure is a handsome looking fellow and to date I have yet to get as nicely a detailed shot as this for me at least, of the most shy duck there is here in Alberta.I'm a Transistor radio collector and have a number of 1950's sets that are the same colour as his bill a sort of power blue which you have captured beautifully as well as the rest of Mr. Ruddy's colours.A sharp and nicely detailed shot of this hard to get duck and thank you Rick for showing me what I have been missing. Bob

  • Great 
  • RP1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 159 W: 1 N: 124] (1902)
  • [2008-06-25 16:08]

Salur Rik,
Ce canard est très jolis et rare. Les couleurs et la composition est excellente.
Félicitation,
Roger

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1691 W: 8 N: 4340] (14113)
  • [2008-06-25 16:23]

Hi Rick,

I've never known anyone who had a favorite duck because it was the color of his first car! The beak is a lovely blue. Doesn't quite look real - more like he's wearing a mask for Halloween. Great shot with fine details of his face, beak, eye, and plummage with the water droplets.

Jane

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 545 W: 0 N: 1338] (4443)
  • [2008-06-25 16:39]

I have never seen those beautiful ducks, Rick, wow, a blue beak! The picture is superb with the water almost camouflaging the beak. I also like the very low pov making us very close to it. Thanks again Rick, your wildlife always fascinate me!

Francine

What a duck!And what a beak!But I love the note the best!;-)
Love this shot, rick!
Goldy

Hi Rick

We have similar species in Australia, surprisingly called the blue-billed duck, but ours lacks the white face. It's one of my favourite ducks and curiously, I too once had a car that was a similar colour, mmmm!!!
What I don't have a shoot anywhere near as good as this one. Great sharpness and POV. Good composition.

Chris

Excellent capture Rick, the blue water is an excellent background to show off this duck. The colouration and water droplets are very well captured. Good eye capture as well. regards h

Cute rick. It almost looks like you did the colouring on the beak, but I know...nature is funny that way. I buy my paint at Sears and have it mixed while I watch:-) I think someone went out for the job...Dang gophers!
Bob

hello Rick

wonderful shot of this Ruddy Duck, fine POV and DOF,
i love the waves shapes in the image, excellent sharpness and details,

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1904 W: 4 N: 5177] (19726)
  • [2008-06-26 11:56]

Hi Just got home from work so running a bit late tonight so just a note to say good picture for now. TFS.
Nick.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1589 W: 242 N: 5308] (18683)
  • [2008-06-26 12:51]

Great shot of this Ruddy Duck. I can see why you like them so much... that blue beak is amazing!
Sharp and crisp.
Superb composition.
Spot-on exposure.

Well done, Rick!

Joe

  • Great 
  • Art_R Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 193 W: 16 N: 461] (1891)
  • [2008-06-26 19:45]

Hi Rick , a very nice photo of this ruddy duck , good color composition and details , I must say I got a chuckle from your notes :-)

regards
Art

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2308 W: 59 N: 3689] (11822)
  • [2008-06-27 4:11]

Hi Rick,
How cute :o) He looks as if he's smiling. I liked your low POV, details, eye contact, catchlight in the eye and the composition. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2381 W: 164 N: 7153] (22602)
  • [2008-06-27 6:55]

Hello Rick,
Oh, yes he is a very cute little chubby fellow! The large blue beak is amazing! Excellent sharp capture in beautiful colours. I like the way he's watching you!
Many thanks and best wishes, Ulla

That's a really neat colour to it's beak Rick. It looks almost out of place in the blue water. Very cool look. TFS Trevor

Hello Rick,

Beautiful picture of this duck with a blue bill. Excellent POV, DOF and sharpness. Very good light and colours. Very good background with the beautiful rimples.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-03 8:50]

Hello Rick

A beautiful little duck.
These ducks only began nesting in my region in the 1970's and now they have established themselves.
Lovely plumage detail and colours.
Sharp focus and detail.
The pov is very good.
TFS

Rob

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