Wildlife, landscape and weather photography
This is the only time of year and the only type of duck that I will dedicate myself to photographing.
Wood duck drakes are extraordinarily handsome and in the fall, the reflections of golden leaves on the water create some cool captures.
Last Saturday I spent a couple hours with these guys and took a ridiculous number of pictures of “just ducks.” They are a far cry from the raptors that I normally photograph but it was well worth the time.
There are few ducks more beautiful than these guys. The wood duck drake is extraordinarily colored and arguably the most colorful bird we see here in Colorado.
They are not as common as other ducks here and they are, generally, a bit skittish. However, there is a suburban park south of Denver where they are known to hang out and they have become quite accustomed to people.
I stopped by yesterday on my way home from my photo shoot and paid them a quick visit. Most of them were content to sleep on a little island in the pond but this guy came out and went for a walk giving me some nice pics.
Not the greatest of weather for photography this morning here in Colorado but it did make for some neat captures. I snapped these ducks as they flew by at the Adams County Fair and Regional Park Complex during a snow squall.
Here is a type of bird you don’t see me take many pics of. I just don’t have the patience to photograph ducks. They are usually quite skittish and I’m not willing to sit and wait for them to come close. Yesterday I got lucky when this handsome fellow flew right by me, giving me a nice capture.
A nice walk along the South Platte River north of Denver, Colorado and the waterfowl was quite abundant. As usual they didn’t care too much to pose for me but I grabbed a couple pics as they flew by. I’m not sure what kind of ducks the first pair are. The second are Mallards though.
I don’t normally take pictures of ducks as most tend to be quite skittish and I don’t have the patience to do the work required to get close. Yesterday however, this male Common Merganser swam right by where I was sitting on the shore of a pond. He looked pretty darned cool so I of course had to take a few pics of him.
Water fowl rarely draw the attention of my camera but the one exception that will always have me clicking are Wood Ducks. Their iridescent, colorful plumage is simply too beautiful to ignore. There is pond in the southern suburbs of Denver where they make an appearance every fall. I haven’t been there in a couple years and am long overdue to pay them a visit. This image was taken in October 2014.
Ducks take to the trees. It isn’t too often you see a duck hanging out in the tree but here you go. Wood Ducks are a bit different from most waterfowl is that they do actually perch and nest in trees. While I have photographed them before, it has always been in a more traditional setting like swimming on a pond.
On Sunday while hanging out along the South Platte River I noticed a number of these guys flying around and landing in the trees. It certainly seemed out of place. The terrain prevented me from getting a better look but I managed a few, distant captures.
These images don’t do a good job showing it but Wood Ducks, particularly the drakes (males), truly are some of the most colorful ducks you can imagine.
Water fowl rarely draw the attention of my camera but the one exception that will always have me clicking are Wood Ducks. Their iridescent, colorful plumage is simply too beautiful to ignore. These images are a sampling of those I took while watching them at Sterne Park in Littleton, Colorado a few weeks ago. The males, pictured here, draw most of the attention although females are pretty in their own right.
You can read more about these cool ducks here.
I am not one to normally seek out ducks for pictures but when these colorful creatures come to town, I do my best to pay them a visit. Wood Ducks visit a park south of Denver each fall for a few weeks and yesterday I had the opportunity.
They are extraordinarily beautiful and one of the most colorful waterfowl, especially the male pictured here. Females’ coloring is quite a bit more subdued but still beautiful in their own right. Wood Ducks are one of the few waterfowl that actually are comfortable nesting and perching in trees.
