Mallard gives me the look

[ssheipel]

While the nearby series of ponds in the wetland I was visiting were all still ice (and snow) covered, but for a couple of places the muskrats had broken channels, up on the trees and underbrush was a tiny pond of open water (given it's location I'm thinking kept open by runoff) which a pair of Mallards (and a flock of Red Wing Blackbirds) had found. Given the healthy state of the duckweed I'm thinking this spot has stayed open on all but the coldest stretches of winter this year. This Mallard seems less than pleased that I'd found him He and his mate began to fidget and mumble so I took off before they spooked and flew out of there -- tho the only real fly way would have been past me. The Blackbirds refused to rise out of the thick dogwood thickets for a photograph, but did treat me to the purest sound of spring for me, their long call.
(The Z9 is still waiting for parts.)

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[NorthernFocus]

That's a nice angle. Both for geometry of the bird and for the light. Nice one.

 

[Louis champan]

Sweet shot, love the surroundings.

 

[Lance B]

Lovely shot, great eye contact!

 

[sh1209]

Great shot!

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

Here's looking at you, looking at me, nice capture.

 

[Jmaes]

He does look thoroughly unimpressed with you

 

[ssheipel]

That's a nice angle. Both for geometry of the bird and for the light. Nice one.

Thanks much, Dan.

 

[ssheipel]

Sweet shot, love the surroundings.

Thank you, Louis. Yes, lovely spot, which becomes quite invisible with spring growth; access for ducks takes a low flight up one end of the 'pond' which narrowly runs from a clearing. You can look down on this spot from a path quite a height above it and I've dragged myself through the thick brush to get to it in summer, chasing the call of the Indigo buntings, but the growth is so thick (which they love apparently) it has never rewarded me with a shot of this area's only fully blue bird. On this day there was a small flock of male Red Wing Blackbirds which I found unusual (seeing males together without drama) so I Googled it and it turns out males routinely by day's end (I almost exclusively see them very early in the day; this day was late afternoon for my visit) give up on their territorial work and simply get along. As one researcher said, "It's like the men getting together for a drink after work at day's end." LOL

 

[ssheipel]

Lovely shot, great eye contact!

Thanks, Lance. I was dressed such (camo) that if I stopped moving they got comfortable, but any movement (and the sound of the D6 firing) meant this look was definitely for me

 

[Hobbzz]

Great shot!

 

[ssheipel]

Great shot!

Thank you, Steven!

 

[ssheipel]

Here's looking at you, looking at me, nice capture.

Thanks. Ha! I'm likely lucky ducks don't carry knives!

 

[ssheipel]

He does look thoroughly unimpressed with you

Utterly, tho he did cooperate by turning his head to get that nice catchlight a few times

 

[ssheipel]

Great shot!

Thanks Brent!

 

[ChrisSinSeattle]

Thhris S.

 

[AlanTW]

Almost the definition of a beady eye, great shot

 

[ssheipel]

Almost the definition of a beady eye, great shot

Thanks Alan.

 

[gnpToday]

While the nearby series of ponds in the wetland I was visiting were all still ice (and snow) covered, but for a couple of places the muskrats had broken channels, up on the trees and underbrush was a tiny pond of open water (given it's location I'm thinking kept open by runoff) which a pair of Mallards (and a flock of Red Wing Blackbirds) had found. Given the healthy state of the duckweed I'm thinking this spot has stayed open on all but the coldest stretches of winter this year. This Mallard seems less than pleased that I'd found him He and his mate began to fidget and mumble so I took off before they spooked and flew out of there -- tho the only real fly way would have been past me. The Blackbirds refused to rise out of the thick dogwood thickets for a photograph, but did treat me to the purest sound of spring for me, their long call.
(The Z9 is still waiting for parts.)
View attachment 56843

Nice….I see you are still slumming it! Sorry to hear about your Z9 issues still.