Birds in Nature - images of wild birds by Richard Ditch

Subject: Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Place: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Date: October 2003
Equipment: Nikon N90S, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E (= 600/5.6), tripod
Film: Fuji Sensia 100
Exposure: Aperture priority matrix metered
Scan: Minolta Dimage, 85% of image

Commentary: Another view of the same merganser.

Ducks can be easy shooting here in Phoenix, where wild wintering birds quickly grow accustomed to lots of people in the parks. But as a photographer who likes to include habitat in my photos, I've been frustrated by the relative blandness of bird-on-water images that I've been making.

This Hooded Merganser has come to my rescue! It is rather uncommon here in winter, and this particular bird is exceptional in that it has picked up many bad habits from the more common ducks. After shooting many images of it on the rainbow water here, I was delighted when it flew to another pond and found this more secluded spot to rest.