Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/12/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Love these. Gene On Wed, Dec 23, 2015 at 10:15 AM, RicCarter <ric at cartersxrd.net> wrote: > the mergy diving is real special > > ric > > > > On Dec 23, 2015, at 7:01 AM, Doug Herr <wildlightphoto at earthlink.net> > wrote: > > > > Yesterday (December 22) I visited the American River at the nearby fish > hatchery. Outflow from the hatchery's spawning operations flows into the > American River and often contains fish scraps, drawing numerous birds to > the spot. > > > > The outflow is located at river level while the hatchery itself is on > the bluffs about 50' above the river. From river level to the top of the > bluff the bank is protected from erosion by rirap, large blocks stone and > concrete. Access to river level is by clambering down the riprap, wet from > recent rains, while loaded with camera, tripod, blind and a comfy seat. > (Note to self: find a better way to tie the tripod to the backpack.) > > > > The blind I used is little more than a 6' x 6' piece of camo bug screen > which has a separating zipper added to one edge so that I can enclose the > bird-visible side with a hole for the lens to protrude. Remarkably > effective. Unlike the previous day (cold and rainy) I didn't have to use > gloves so I was quite pleased with the camera's handling. > > > > The vast majority of the birds drawn to the hatchery's outflow are > Common Goldeneye, a diving duck that eats aquatic invertebrates, small fish > and vegetation. > > > > The adult male Common Goldeneye's striking black-and-white plumage is > unmistakable, as is its distinctive head shape: > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/bucephala/cogold12.html > > > > the female's coloration is less striking but her golden eye is clearly > visible. Also notice the sloped forehead and head shape, which I'll get > back to later: > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/bucephala/cogold14.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/bucephala/cogold13.html > > > > The immature male Common Goldeneye has a brown head instead of the > iridescent green-black of the adult but the white cheek spot separates this > bird from the female: > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/bucephala/cogold15.html > > > > > > Slightly less common than the Common Goldeneye is the Common Merganser: > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/mergus/comerg21.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/mergus/comerg22.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/mergus/comerg23.html > > > > > > Less frequently seen is the Barrow's Goldeneye. It's easy to overlook > among the dozens of Common Goldeneyes but notice the male's cheek crescent > instead of a round spot, the less rounded head shape, shorter bill and > steeper forehead. The male's head tends to be more iridescent purple-black > instead of the Common Goldeneye's green-black: > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/bucephala/bagold02.html > > > > All photos: Sony a7II, Canon FD 500mm f/4.5 L, tripod & blind. All > comments welcome. > > > > Doug Herr > > Birdman of Sacramento > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > > http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >