Here's a critter I shot while docked at our marina. It's a bit soft, perhaps because my lens was wide open or I wasn't focused properly. Still, I decided to keep it.

My son-in-law tells me this is a mud hen, but I seem to recall hearing birds like this one called coots. Any one know what this red-eyed sucker is?

Jer

[Peter Zack]

A bit of a tough photo to comment on. The water is perfectly still and you captured a great reflection. Nice sharp image.

But the funny thing is the reflection looks better in some ways than the duck. The beak is blown out and with that being the only white item in the frame, it's a tough exposure. I wonder if it could have been possible to shoot this a stop lower and then brighten everything but the duck's bill.

[MoiVous]

Interesting shot indeed Jer.

A bit blown out as Peter says but it has a certain appeal. There is a remarkable amount of detail from the stillness of the water - you can even see the feet under it

But the funny thing is the reflection looks better in some ways than the duck. The
beak is blown out and with that being the only white item in the frame, it's a tough exposure. I wonder if it could have been possible to shoot this a stop lower and then brighten everything but the duck's bill.

I wonder if the darkenned reflection is due to polarisation of the light off the water or something like that?

Cheers

[Sailor]

A bit of a tough photo to comment on. The water is perfectly still and you captured a great reflection. Nice sharp image.

But the funny thing is the reflection looks better in some ways than the duck. The beak is blown out and with that being the only white item in the frame, it's a tough exposure. I wonder if it could have been possible to shoot this a stop lower and then brighten everything but the duck's bill.

Interesting shot indeed Jer.

A bit blown out as Peter says but it has a certain appeal. There is a remarkable amount of detail from the stillness of the water - you can even see the feet under it

I wonder if the darkenned reflection is due to polarisation of the light off the water or something like that?

Cheers

Thanks for the comments, Peter and Chris. Frankly, I'm embarrassed to say that when I was adjusting exposure in PP, I was was focused (NPI) on the bird's body and the fact that I blew out the beak failed to register (what happens when you get old). One of my (many) failings as a photographer is to "see" the broad context of my shots, but miss important details - even ones as obvious as the super white beak.

Here is the image directly as exposed by the camera - the beak still still is out of range but not as badly.

Jer

[KevinR]

Jer, Nice shot. The refection is great, although the beak looks a bit over-exposed.

It looks like some form of Coot to me, but can't be sure as we have very different sub-species here in southern africa. But for reference, here is a Red Knobbed Coot I shot in Cape Town, and the resemblance is very clear but beak is different. Even has some form of red knob on the forehead area, but not pronounced. Coots part of Rail or Crake family, so may be by a different name in US.

Cheers, Kevin

[KevinR]

Had a look on Wikipedia, and seems to be American Coot. Picture on link below has the distinct beak markings and a single small red bump on the forehead.

File:Fulica-americana-003.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Jimbo]

Nicely done. I need to get back to some bird shots. I have been doing too many Landscapaes lately. JIM

[photolady95]

Nice shot Jer but as others said a bit blown out.

Here's a reference to the American Coot.

American Coot, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

And if you need more help, here's the official site I use quite often to identify my birds.

Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

[Sailor]

Had a look on Wikipedia, and seems to be American Coot. Picture on link below has the distinct beak markings and a single small red bump on the forehead.

File:Fulica-americana-003.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nice shot Jer but as others said a bit blown out.

Here's a reference to the American Coot.

American Coot, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

And if you need more help, here's the official site I use quite often to identify my birds.

Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Thanks so much, Kevin and PL, for going to the trouble of posting these links. While I shoot birds occasionally, I can an identify robins, cardinals, humming birds, sea gulls, pelicans and . . . . . that's about it. These sources will be useful, for sure.

Jer

[Sailor]

Nicely done. I need to get back to some bird shots. I have been doing too many Landscapaes lately. JIM

Hey JIM - I appreciate the kind words. As a matter of fact, it dawned on me when I posted this photo, I hadn't seen in bird pics from you in a while.

Jer

[l5335l]

nice nice....