{"id":156848,"date":"2024-04-10T05:36:12","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T11:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=156848"},"modified":"2024-04-10T05:56:11","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T11:56:11","slug":"drake-northern-shoveler-in-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/10\/drake-northern-shoveler-in-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"Drake Northern Shoveler In Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s springtime so things are getting exciting at our bird refuges.<\/p>\n

Yesterday I had a productive morning at Bear River MBR but I took so many photos I haven’t yet had time to even look at most of them. So this morning I just decided to grab one I like and run with it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

1\/5000, f\/7.1, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

About a dozen drake Northern Shovelers were competing for the attention of a single hen when this guy found himself further away from the action than he preferred. So instead of swimming quickly in order to catch up with the other ducks, he chose to take off and fly the short distance to join them. This is the first photo I got of him in flight after he took off, out of 21 flight shots that were sharp.<\/p>\n

I think drake shovelers in breeding plumage are one of our most attractive ducks and this flight posture shows off his many colors and plumage patterns about as well as they can be displayed. I wasn’t particularly close to him but he’s sharp so I think the photo stood up quite well to significant cropping.<\/p>\n

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many shovelers at Bear River as I have this spring. Without question they’re the dominant duck at the refuge. They seem to be everywhere and most of them are paired up or in the process of becoming so. And many of them are ‘sticky’ because they’re reluctant to leave their mates so opportunities abound for bird photographers interested in behavioral or flight shots of a very handsome duck.<\/p>\n

Other species are feeling their oats too – it’s that time of year. One of the series of photos I took yesterday was of mating Black-necked Stilts. You’re likely to see some of those images soon.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s springtime so things are getting exciting at our bird refuges.<\/p>\n

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