Steve Sanford
Well-known member
All~
With some "found time" yesterday afternoon on Long Island, I drove to Great South Bay to check on the ice and the birds. Most of the freshwater ponds - which hold great photo opportunities for waterfowl - were iced up in the 12 degree cold.
The Bay was wide open when I got to the docks. But - what caught my eye right away - was a Hen Oldsquaw right within the boat basin. She was feeding at the edge of a small ice shelf immediately north of the bulkhead. A great photo opportunity with perfect lighting conditions. Oldsquaw are "big water" birds and rarely present themselves so close to land - and with the light from the south shining on their spectacular plumage.
I sat in my Element for about an hour. The Hen left when I pulled up next to the bulkhead, but the Drake made his way in and gave me a nice show, diving and re-surfacing within about 20 or 25 feet at times. The Hen returned later and gave a similar show.
BTW: I do not know if this is a Hen or a young-of-the-year Drake. (And -if a Hen - adult or young?) My best references are up home - so any help is appreciated!
I am not a serious bird photographer so have modest equipment. I have the entry-level Canon DSLR. I used the zoom telephoto - also entry-level - EF 75-300mm, 1:4 - 5.6 I did not have my window mount with me - so these photos are hand-held - lodged within the Element window frame as best I could.
All the best,
SJS
With some "found time" yesterday afternoon on Long Island, I drove to Great South Bay to check on the ice and the birds. Most of the freshwater ponds - which hold great photo opportunities for waterfowl - were iced up in the 12 degree cold.
The Bay was wide open when I got to the docks. But - what caught my eye right away - was a Hen Oldsquaw right within the boat basin. She was feeding at the edge of a small ice shelf immediately north of the bulkhead. A great photo opportunity with perfect lighting conditions. Oldsquaw are "big water" birds and rarely present themselves so close to land - and with the light from the south shining on their spectacular plumage.
I sat in my Element for about an hour. The Hen left when I pulled up next to the bulkhead, but the Drake made his way in and gave me a nice show, diving and re-surfacing within about 20 or 25 feet at times. The Hen returned later and gave a similar show.
BTW: I do not know if this is a Hen or a young-of-the-year Drake. (And -if a Hen - adult or young?) My best references are up home - so any help is appreciated!
I am not a serious bird photographer so have modest equipment. I have the entry-level Canon DSLR. I used the zoom telephoto - also entry-level - EF 75-300mm, 1:4 - 5.6 I did not have my window mount with me - so these photos are hand-held - lodged within the Element window frame as best I could.
All the best,
SJS