Long-tailed Duck.

[Daniel Cadieux]

These guys are uncommon up here, and usually seen a couple of hundred yards out into the water, so when this female started coming into one of the near narrow channels it was only natural that I would find some spot to hide low into the reeds to wait for her approach. Which she did multiple times...until she finally saw me and bolted outta there!

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/1000s., f/5.6, ISO 1600, natural light, handheld, small crop after a CW rotation, spot-removed a few flecks in the water and cloned out a couple of larger distracting oof bubbles (created when she popped up from a dive), NR to the BG and FG.

[Arthur Morris]

Beautiful. The background and the wake are better than the bird (which is pretty darned good!) Were you sitting?

with love, artie

[Brian Sump]

Daniel, I've sure never seen one so it's cool factor starts off strong.

The 1/4 angle toward is only second to a nice broadside shot but works well I think. Tack sharp with some water droplets strewn throughout and a gorgeous color palette enhance the frame.

Nicely shot.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Dan, love your usual low perspective here, great swimming angle too. I like the bow wave, colour of the water, and the overall light and IQ in this is tops. Well captured.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks!

Artie, I was lying flat for this - the rocks I was lying on were 6-8 inches higher than the water.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the low angle, sharpness, wake and sweet BG colour. Very well done Dan!

[John Mack]

I really like these ducks and the harlequins. The low angle is bang on. Nice framing. The color in the water is sweet. This must be an immature bird or non breeding?