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New Zealand Scaup


New Zealand Scaup
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3817 W: 505 N: 8098] (27718)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-04-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Canon EF 28-135 IS USM
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-04-21 4:32
Viewed: 1080
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The tail is blured as this cutie decided to give it a waggle just as I pressed the shutter.

New Zealand Scaup (papango, Aythya novaeseelandiae)

New Zealand Scaup are a small blackish diving duck endemic to New Zealand. They are usually found on deep lakes. They are rarely found on coastal lakes or rivers.
Formerly quite widespread, their range and numbers have declined due to habitat modification, shooting and predation. They have not been recorded on offshore islands.
Scaup dive to at least 3m to forage on aquatic plants and invertebrates.
Scaup tend to be found in flocks during winter. In September they become territorial and by late October 7 to 8 eggs are laid in a nest that is usually located under dense cover near water. The female incubates the eggs alone and when the ducklings are about 1 day old she takes them to the water where they are immediately able to dive for food.

Scaup in the Sanctuary
The first pair of scaup was released in the Sanctuary in May 2002 at the upper lake, the young birds coming from Wellington Zoo. They thrived and bred successfully in their first year at the Sanctuary, producing 6 ducklings in early December. This is probably the first time scaup have ever bred in the wild in Wellington because suitable habitat would have been absent before the artificial lakes were developed.
Following on from this success, four more young scaup from Wellington Zoo have been released at the upper lake in 2003 and more releases may be undertaken in future if appropriate.

The above obtained from http://www.sanctuary.org.nz/restoration/wetlands/scaup/scaup.html

Image Information

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 11:53 a.m.
Date: 9th April 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 28-135mm IS USM
Shutter Speed: 1/90
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 135mm
Flash Yes
ISO: 100
Janice, dew77, puffy, sAner, red45, carper, hummingbird24 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2005-04-21 4:39]

Hi Pam we saw about 6 of these at Western Springs this week. Beautiful little birds with lovely blue beaks. I love their bright blue eyes. This one is posing real well for you. Nicely caught, TFS.

Hi Pam!
Great golden eye! And very nice bird, but looks a little lost ;-)
good job!

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-04-21 4:48]

Superb shot Pam!
Your model is very cute.DOF,details,especially eyes are wonderful.TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • puffy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 291 W: 0 N: 339] (1351)
  • [2005-04-21 6:21]

Great shot Pam, Janice and I saw some of this the other day, I took a fews shots of it, none of it as nice as yours. Very well captured and great details. Congrats, thanks for sharing. :)

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-04-21 6:49]

Ah ... now this brings back fond memories Pam. :) When we visited Queenstown my gf and I decided on the last day to visit the underwater'world'. It cost only 5 dollar pp but it was so nice. They had 2 big windows through which you could see under lake Wakatipu. We saw Trout, Eels and diving ducks; the Scaup. They were hilarious. I took a few pics. :)

Your photo is great! Very sharp details and wonderful colors. The golden eye is great. Underwater these ducks appear to be silver colored because of the airbubbles tarpped in their feathercoat. Well done & TFS!

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-04-21 8:41]

Duffy is back ;-) Smart, roguish face, brave golden eye. DUCK in black ;-)

Very cute shot, good details and pose.
Well done.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
  • [2005-04-21 13:54]

Very nice one Pam,
I like the good details in the shot, very good pov and exellent dof, the eye is wonderful, very good job,
gr. Jaap

Very nice Pam.
Well exposure, the black have good details.
Nice pose, composition and colours.
Well done.

Another rushed Morning.
Great shot, thanks for posting Pam
Great job on the exposure

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