Oldsquaw Photos

[Steve Sanford]

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

 

[george w]

That be a pair. Second shots are of the hen. What I really like about the drake shots is the tail on the water stuff, which seems more akin to an oldsquaw attitude.

 

[Phil Eager]

I was thinking the same thing about the tail on the drake. I second a hen OS

Phil

 

[Paul Dobrosky]

Steve, Great Photos Steve , Nice reference for carving & Painting

 

[Carl]

Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing!

 

[Rob M]

Great photos Steve, thanks for posting.

 

[Bill Abbate]

Beautiful pics Steve.

 

[Will M]

Steve great pictures of beautiful birds.

My far from expert opinion on the sex of the second bird would be young of the year drake. Hens are often much more brown than grey on the upper portions of their body especially this late in the year. Somewhere I have a picture of a young of the year drake and a hen laying next to each other. If I remember after my afternoon doctors appointment I'll try to find it

 

[Pat Gregory]

Wonderful photos Steve! Thank you for posting them. Pat

 

[Troy Fields]

Nice photos Steve, thanks for sharing. They are certainly a neat little bird.

 

[Ben M]

Gorgeous shots of what is unquestionably my favorite duck. Thank you!

 

[Capt. John O]

Steve she appears to be a younger hen also a younger Drake. He is prime colors

 

[Jeff Reardon]

Great photos. Surprised you found them so close to a spot you could take photos from shore. We see big flocks of longtails on Casco Bay in December/early January, but they rarely come close to any of our shore-based hunting spots, even on the islands. I see eiders along the shoreline all the time, but longtails not so much.