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Baikal Teal


Baikal Teal
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2012-04-25
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D90, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/640 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2013-01-07 7:11
Viewed: 2998
Points: 47
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Only a few kilometres from the place where I live there is a family who keep water birds around their house in ditches. This is one of them.

The Baikal Teal (Anas formosa), also called the Bimaculate Duck or Squawk Duck, is a dabbling duck that breeds within the forest zone of eastern Siberia from the Yenisey basin eastwards to Kamchatka, northern Koryak, eastern Magadan Oblast, northern Khabarovsk Krai, southeastern and northern Sakha east central Irkutsk Oblast, and northern Krasnoyarsk Krai. It is a migratory species, wintering in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, northern and eastern China, from Beijing down the coast to the Vietnam border, and west to Yunnan then north to Chongqing and Henan. Molecular and behavioral data suggest that it has no close relatives among living ducks and should be placed in a distinct genus; it is possibly closest to such species as the Garganey and the Northern Shoveler.

At between 39 and 43 centimetres (15 and 17 in), this duck is slightly larger and longer-tailed than the Common Teal. The breeding male is unmistakable, with a striking green nape, yellow and black auriculars, neck, throat. It has a dark crown, and its breast is light brown with dark spots. It has long dropping dark scapulars, and its grey sides are set off on the front and rear with white bars.

The female looks similar to a female Green-winged Teal but with a longer tail, and a distinctive white spot at the base of the bill and a white throat that angles to the back of the eye. She also has a distinct light eyebrow bordered by a darker crown. The underwing is similar to the Green-winged Teal also, but has a darker leading edge. The green speculum has an indistinct cinnamon-buff inner border. Some "females" have "bridle" markings on their faces, but it has been suggested that at least some of these bridled "females," if not all, are in fact juvenile males. The juvenile has a plumage similar to that of the female and can be distinguished from the Common Teal by the pale loral spot.
In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, the drake looks more like the female, but plumage is a much richer reddish-brown (rufous) colour.

It breeds in pools on the tundra edge and within swampy forests. In winter it is found on lowland fresh waters.

This species is classified as Vulnerable due to hunting and destruction of its wintering wetland habitats. However, recent books state that the species is making a good comeback.
There are approximately 300,000 Baikal teal in the world.

Characteristics
The Baikal teal has a height from 11.75 to 15.75 inches and a length of 17 inches. It weighs an average of 1 pound.
The Baikal teal is a remarkably small duck. Drakes and other Baikal teal vary significantly in coloring. While the male is noticeably green, black, yellow and white, females are characterized by a white spot on the cheek. With the drake, the colors are clearly distinguishable from each other.

Source: Wikipedia
marius-secan, maaciejka, CeltickRanger, drchoneydew, Argus, jusninasirun has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To mwmod99: SharpnessPeterZ 1 01-07 07:43
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Peter,
Once again a wonderful photo taken from a very good angle and POV. Exceptional quality....Excellent details. Outstanding colors and perfect focus. You managed perfect this composition.
Thanks for sharing!
Marius.

hallo Peter
Mooie scherpe foto van deze eend
de veren zijn prachtig en ook de kleuren zijn bijzonder en super mooi
pracht eendje
groet lou

Hello Peter,
outstanding photograph, excellent sharpness, outstanding composition, outstanding lighting.
TFS,
Matrix! No PP

Hi Peter
Great capture. This Teal has such beautiful makings and you have captured them so well. Right down the to the detail in the reflection.
Beautiful presentation of the Baikai Teal
Thanks for sharing
Best regards
Colin

Ciao Peter, great capture of lovely duck, fantastic colors, fine details and splendid sharpness, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • IronM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 144 W: 3 N: 345] (2608)
  • [2013-01-07 7:30]

Hi Peter,
outstanding photo with perfect sharpness, amazing details and wonderful colors, excellent light too !
Best regards !

hello Peter,
Baikal teal is very rare, here in India.
great clarity and colour with perfect PoV to show the characteristic feature of the bird,
best wishes samiran

Hello Peter
This seems to me a very heavy crop where you have increased the sharpness a bit too much to compensate for the lost detail. Please, try to approach the bird carefully closer next time. I love the way the Baikal Teal is looking cautiously towards you. Happy New Year !
Regards,
George Veltchev

Hello Peter,
Another beautiful capture with excellent details and nice colour luminosity,lovely golden effect of water is remarkable.
TFS and my regards,
Joy

Hi Peter,
nice duck. I like colours, but water is unusual. Perfect point of view. Nice composition.
Thanks for sharing,
Maciek

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2013-01-07 14:23]

Hi Peter,very good capture talking about point of view and colors,there is a bit of noise and grain in the details but no problem,nobody is perfect..ehehe..Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano.

Hallo Peter
what a pretty duck species. It is similar partly to Anas crecca, partly to A. querquedula. You nicely captured it with great eye contact and focus. Beautiful colors and composition. Thanks for sharing this beauty.
Sorry for my silence after your e-mail. I have not finished formal works before Oman. So I will have enough time to visiting Holland. I hope we will see in another future visit.
Best wishes and have a nice evening.
Ahmet

Hello Peter

Excellent close-up of the Baikal Teal,
with fine POV & DOF, love that water color
that it is the reflection of the vegetation
around the water, TFS

Asbed

Impressive photo Peter! The colours are fantastic! Nice pose and very good composition too!
Regards,
Christodoulos

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2013-01-08 0:47]

Hello Peter,
the duck is so pretty. The colors are reaally wonderful and it is seen in superb details.
The water too add another beautiful dimension to your composition.

Regards
Foozi

  • Great 
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1618 W: 106 N: 3208] (15166)
  • [2013-01-08 5:00]

Hi,
Beautiful Teal with excellent colors and patterns, well captured. tfs.
nagraj.v

Hello Peter
Excellent photo, good focus and detail, nice background. Good eye contact.
Lovely duck!
regards yiannis

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2013-01-08 9:42]

Hello Peter
Beautiful closed up I had never seen that specie before,very sharp image (just a little to much on the head)with outstanding plumage details ,colours and light are just great.I like that drop of water on the duck beq.Outstanding text also.
TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2013-01-08 10:01]

Merhaba Peter,
Renkleri, netliği ve kompozisyonuyla çok güzel bir fotoğraf.
Tebrik ederim, saygılarımla..

He doesn't seem startled by your presence. Wonderful eye contact and just look at those details. He doesn't look real!!!!!

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2013-01-10 12:05]

Hello Peter,
A beautiful species of teal, this male being well captured wioth nice clarity and excellent natural colours in good lighting.
Thanks and best regards,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2013-01-11 19:41]

Hello Peter,
What a gorgeous duck you have living close to your home. It's head reminds me a little bit like that of a Wigeon. The rest of it is like no other duch I have ever observed before. The white, black and orangish feathers on it's back are most beautiful, and it's overall markings are simply breathtaking to look at.
Ron

Hello Peter!

It's nice to see this extremaly rare species, I've never seen this duck either in nature like in private housekeeping. Beautiful duck. TFS

Jacek

Hello Peter.
This is such a fine looking specimen like a water color painting with fine colors and details. The close framing exposed the feathers well under beautiful exposure.
Thanks and have a nice day.
Jusni

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