Ring-necked Duck – A.K.A. “Happy Duck”

A species I don’t get to photograph often, especially up close and in a cute pose.

 

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in

Several days ago this hen Ring-necked Duck was swimming along the shore edge of a local pond but we were hidden from each other’s view by a stand of phragmites to my left. When she popped into view right in front of me it must have surprised her as much as it did me but she handled our unexpected closeness with aplomb and showed no reaction. All she did was yawn which I think made her look like she was “talking” happily.

Or maybe as a defensive maneuver she was preparing to bite the “snake” in her beak’s reflection…

Either way, from “Happy Duck” and me, Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers! I hope it’s a wonderful holiday for you and all you share it with.

Ron

 

 

50 Comments

  1. Happy Thanksgiving Ron!!!

  2. Cute little quacker❗️
    Have a great Thanksgiving Ron🦃

  3. Ron, I think that your cute “Happy Duck” is maybe singing!

    Happy Thanksgiving Ron to you, Mia and your readers. Did you treat yourself to a chocolate donut this morning to start the holiday off right?

    BTW, I’ll try to send you some of the California Quail in my yard since you aren’t seeing many, if any!!

    • Nope, no chocolate donut for me this morning, Alice. The only time I eat them is on days I go shooting. Thanksgiving is a traditional morning for us to go shooting but it would have been wasted time this morning because of the cloud cover.

      • I have the perfect workaround. Take shots of your Thanksgiving bird — a cooperative subject; not baited, set up, or called in (just maybe stuffed a little); and you can get the light just right — it’s chocolate donut time! VBG😜😉😋😇

  4. A very, very Happy Thanksgiving (and the year to come) to you and yours.

  5. Happy Thanksgiving Ron

  6. She’s happy to see you. 😉 OK, maybe not. Regardless, she’s a cutie. I like her tail position — she really looks pleased with herself from stem to stern.

    Hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving, Ron. And the same wish goes out to the wonderful family you’ve created here on your blog.

  7. I love this picture Ron! It is always great to get close to a typically cautious species. Thanks for all of your posts-I enjoy them on a daily basis. Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless you!

  8. Such a cute duck! Happy Thanksgiving to you! And many thanks for sharing this picture and the all great photos of the past year.

  9. Good Morning Ron. That is a cute Duck, and I thought oh there is a snake. Glad it was not and just the reflection in the water. I really like the action picture of the Duck. You and family and friends have a Happy Thanksgiving, and maybe go out later and snap some pictures.

  10. A plain bird, perhaps,
    This little Ring-Necked Duck,
    But joy and beauty can be found
    Upon a deeper look.

    Wishing you and the Feathered Photography viewers a happy day.

  11. Happy Thanksgiving Ron…thanks for sharing the ” Happy Duck “….it definitely brought a smile to my face…great way to start Thanksgiving….

  12. A very happy Ring Neck female for Thanksgiving. Thanks Ron – nice picture to start off the morning. Happy Thanksgiving.
    Everett Sanborn
    Prescott AZ

  13. Beautiful photo Ron! I love the lighting and reflections (the caustic).

    There are a lot of Ring-necked ducks in the farm ponds around me. As I stare through the lens at them, can you guess what I always say to myself about this species?

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  14. Thank you Ron. This is a really fun and beautiful shot. The colors in the feathers and water are sublime. Love the microfine ripples pushing out of in front of her, never noticed those before.
    Happy Thanksgiving to All!

    • “Love the microfine ripples pushing out of in front of her, never noticed those before.”

      Good eye, Dave. To be honest I hadn’t noticed them in the image until you pointed them out. I like them too.

  15. Great shot, beautiful image. Love the colors of the hen against the blue water.
    Happy Thanksgiving to you and Mia!

  16. What a sensational shot Ron! Thanks for sharing! Is that “snake” a ripple on the water of her lower bill?

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS!

    Charlotte

  17. She surely DOES look “happy” ! Probably happy she’s not a turkey today—HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you, Ron, and to all your ”Feathered Photography” posse !

  18. She is a cutie! 🙂 Like the “snake” in the reflection…. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all who visit here! 🙂 Off to start “the bird”……. 😉

  19. A happy duck she is! ❤️ A very Happy Thanksgiving to you also! A wee question for you…what criteria do you use when choosing to use ‘beak’ or ‘bill’? I never really know which is the correct; I think I remember reading somewhere that either could be correct but maybe I imagined that. I notice you will use both. I tend to do beak with birds and bill with waterfowl but…?

  20. Happy Thanksgiving, Ron! And thanks once again for a wonderful start to the day!

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