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Long(tail) Wait
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Long(tail) Wait

by Luke Ormand

Gallery: AvianPosted February 13, 20161,083 views4 comments
I've come across Long-tailed ducks on quite a few occasions over the years - but never have I been able to get anywhere near them.  As they tend to like open bodies of water - they minute you show up they will swim off out of site.  Today, despite the brutal cold and wind, I went in search of a Tufted Duck (quite rare) that had been reported a few miles away.  Upon arrival I realized it would be hopeless for me to find this duck as there were about 10,000 similar looking Scaup.  However, the strong winds meant the ducks had tucked into a cove between a beach and a pier and this long-tailed didn't seem to mind my close company.  The only thing I wish had been different was being able to get lower (as it was I was hanging over the pier to get slightly lower)

Nikon D7100 80-400mm VR HH @ 400mm
f/8
1/1600s
ISO 320
-.7 EC
Full Frame, processed mostly in LR5 and CS6
I pasted an eye from another frame as the eye in the original had the NB showing 

- Luke 

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 13, 2016 at 5:32 PM
Superb detail, Luke, and a great end-of preen pose.  Kudos on getting out in the weather you folks had yesterday.

devil
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on February 14, 2016 at 11:34 AM
Hi Luke,

Great pose and I like the flying water droplets.  I can't see the eye's pupil in the posted version....................Jim
Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 14, 2016 at 12:49 PM
I've had the same experience with all the long-tails I've tried to photograph over the years in NJ and I'd be happy to have gotten a shot this nice. A well done reward for getting out in that nasty weather.

Just as a point of reference it has been running in the high 80's here in Phoenix this week and is supposed to reach 90 on Wednesday. I'd enjoy an hour of that east coast weather right now.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 15, 2016 at 12:04 AM
Excellent, Luke. As fine a Long-tailed shot as I've seen. Looks like this drake has already moved into breeding plumage.
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments