Drake Blue-winged Teal Wing Flap

Showing off a little?

 

1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

Six days ago at Bear River MBR this drake Blue-winged Teal was bathing when I approached him. I didn’t much like my bathing shots of him but I figured that after his ablution he’d perform a wing flap and he did. I rarely photograph this species and I liked a couple of his flapping poses so they’re what I’m posting this morning.

In this shot I like how well his primaries, secondaries, underwing coverts and axillaries are defined.

 

 

1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

A good look at the contrasting dorsal surface of his right wing and his overall rich colors. The white crescent between his bill and eye is of course distinctive of the males of this species.

Many birds typically perform a wing flap after bathing but in this case I had to wonder if….

 

 

he wasn’t showing off a little for his presumed mate who was half out of frame at bottom. This version of the photo is tilted because if I’d rotated it to level I’d have cut off even more of the out of focus female.

I just checked. These are the first Blue-winged Teal photos I’ve posted to Feathered Photography. I’m surprised.

Ron

 

Note:

 

Cinnamon Teal x Green-winged Teal Hybrid male

The closest I’ve come in the past to posting a Blue-winged Teal photo to my blog is this one of a Cinnamon Teal/Blue-winged Teal hybrid. At first I thought this bird was a Cinnamon Teal/Green-winged Teal hybrid but folks much more knowledgeable about duck ID than yours truly strongly lean toward the former, so I acquiesce.

If this photo looks familiar to readers who’ve visited the Eccles Wildlife Center at Farmington Bay, it’s because a large print of it is hanging in their auditorium. At least it still was the last time I was inside the auditorium but that’s been a while.

 

18 Comments

  1. Showing off a lot — and I love it! ❤️

  2. Michael McNamara

    Thanks Ron.

    Congrats on a first time!

  3. Glorious. And I hope his little bit of show offery worked.

  4. Beautiful images.

  5. Charlotte Norton

    super series Ron!
    Charlotte Norton

  6. Simple wing flaps or showing off, he’s a handsome fellow.
    You have me brushing up on feather groupings; always a learning opportunity in your posts.
    Congrats for adding to your portfolio, although surprising that you haven’t photographed every species, at least water birds, within a hundred miles.

    • Lyle, I was truly surprised when I realized I’d never posted photos of this species before. I knew I didn’t see them often but the “never” part had escaped my radar.

  7. I love that second photo. The colors and texture are beautiful. And I really admire your ability to predict upcoming movements like this wing flap and prepare to photograph them.

  8. Everett F Sanborn

    Beautiful photos all of the Blue-winged Teal. Really appreciate these because we rarely see these guys. Excellent photos like these show just how handsome these Drakes are. And I think he is showing off for her.

  9. What a keen eye you have, a great talent. Amazing!

    Take Care,
    Kaye

  10. Beautiful! Wonderful wing detail when they can look pretty drab when not flapping or in flight. 😉

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