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Shall We Dance?
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Kathy Meader (writerscrawlz)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 260 W: 2 N: 767]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (2491) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-05-09 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Camera: Canon EOS digital rebel XT, 28-300mm |
| Exposure: f/13.0, 1/250 seconds |
| Details: Tripod: Yes |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-05-09 18:59 |
| Viewed: 389 |
| Points: 12 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Going into new areas is exciting for me because I discover animals I've never seen before. For instance, these Cinnamon Teal Ducks (Anas crecca) caught my attention as they seemed to dance the waltz.
The male is the brightly colored one. The female is the buff colored one. One thing I've noticed is that many females seem to be a buff color while males are filled with vibrant colors. As these two circled each other, the male bobbed his head up and down as if be-bopping to some music only he could hear. Actually, all of the males were doing that, so I wondered if that's one way of attracting a mate?
They were fun to watch because other males horned in and then they would rush each other, bobbing their heads the entire time.
I did get some extra information on this particular duck that I swiped from brandywine zoo:
Range & Habitat
Western North America from British Columbia in Canada south to Guatemala and east to Montana. Their habitat includes marshes, ponds and streams.
Reproduction & Growth
They nest in down-lined hollow, reeds or grass. The female lays 6-12 pinkish-buff eggs. The mating pair bond is maintained throughout incubation. The eggs hatch in about three weeks. The young hide in the vegetation while adult does a "broken wing" display to lure predator away before flying off. Ducklings fly when they are about a month and a half old. Adult size average 16 inches.
Diet - Omnivore
In the Wild: Primarily aquatic plants, seeds, grasses. Will also eat small aquatic animals and insects
In the Zoo: Game bird diet, cracked corn, crane diet, kale, apples and grapes
General Information
The Cinnamon Teal is a small dark cinnamon-red duck with a large chalky blue patch on the fore edge of the wing. Males more than eight weeks old have red-orange eyes. Females are mottled brown with pale blue wing patch. They are seldom vocal with the male emitting a low chattering and the female, a quack. They are a migrating species, doing so early and rapidly in the season. Because of the early migration, they do not figure prominently in the hunting kill in the U.S. |
eqshannon, bobair, tuslaw, CeltickRanger, maurydv has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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What an interesting and unique pose you have caught! Maybe I should have my teeth fixed:-) It works...Whatever...you had some good angels on your shoulders on this one..and notes are always too cute!
Bob
- bobair
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 382 W: 82 N: 1231]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(4536) - [2008-05-09 19:34]
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Hi Kathy,
what a charming couple these two teals are and oh so cute.The male bird of this species is one of the loudest coloured ducks there are and is very easy to see on any pond or lake so I'm not surprised by you having this photo.Great colour and pose with the two face to face with a slight softness to the focus,a very pleasant photo indeed and thank you for sharing these two. Bob
interesting how you captured them, I definitely like the angle, is the male ducks eyes actually red? They appear that way in the photo
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- tuslaw
(2255)
- [2008-05-09 20:00]
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Hellow Kathy,
What a neat capture, they look truly in love. He's setting the ground rules and she just seems to be taking it all in stride, knowing she will have the final say in the end.
Wonderful composition, very eye catching image with rich colours. Great notes too!!
Ron
hello Kathy
you captured a beautiful scene of lovers,
with fine POV, i love the panorama framing,
excellent sharpness and details, i love to see
these lovers in the middle of the circules on the water, TFS
Asbed
Bellissimo momento di cattura, bello il taglio compositivo, buona nitidezza, splendidi i colori e i riflessi dell'acqua. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio
