![\"cinnamon](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/cinnamon-teal-2082-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nI\u00a0like to see some\u00a0personality in my avian subjects and for me\u00a0this male Cinnamon Teal has it in spades (especially for a duck). The image has its flaws – there’s not much detail in some of\u00a0the whites under the wing (though they’re not blown), the setting isn’t an attractive one, the duck has\u00a0some mud on its\u00a0feathers, the running feet aren’t sharp at this shutter speed and he’s\u00a0beginning to go\u00a0out of breeding plumage (image taken about 3 weeks ago at Bear River MBR)\u00a0so his colors aren’t as vibrant as they\u00a0might be.<\/p>\n
But dang, I like this happy-looking duck. To me he just appears to be having fun in the mud and when I look at him his apparent mood is contagious. He makes me smile and that’s why I keep coming back to him.<\/p>\n
In reality this male was\u00a0following (or in pursuit of) another male just out of frame to the right and neither bird seemed to be able to make up their mind about taking off or just running in the mud – thus the\u00a0somewhat unusual wing position and body posture. But eventually they both did take off.<\/p>\n
Sometimes the mood of an image is a matter of perception. Some may see this bird as angry. Or scared.<\/p>\n
But he sure looks happy to me (anthropomorphism be damned…).<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Occasionally I keep coming back to an image despite its flaws. This is one of those.<\/p>\n