Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/01/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The excellence of your photography is only matched by your knowledge of the species you photograph. Cheers, Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu http://www.greatpix.eu http://www.nathanfoto.com Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0 PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog On Jan 9, 2010, at 5:56 PM, Doug Herr wrote: > Friday morning I spent a few hours at the state fish hatchery at Nimbus > Dam, a few minutes from home. The hatchery's water outflow often contains > small fish (or portions of fish), a fact not lost on the local birds. A > portion of the outflow is let into a settling pond where it eventually > makes its way through percolation and direct flow to the American River, a > few meters below the hatchery. > > Many of the local birds consider the settling pond to be a prime feeding > area so among some species, the Common Goldeneye among them, 'turf' wars > are fought over the best locations. Yesterday two pairs of Goldeneyes > plus one bachelor male staked claims to the pond. > > When a neighboring Goldeneye gets too close to your claimed area, the > first level of threat is to lower the head and aim toward the interloper: > > http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo04.html > > Both male and female Goldeneyes use this threat posture, but if the > neighbor doesn't back off the male will go to level two threat, where he > tosses his head back and makes a sound that is best described as a mix of > a purr and a soft growl: > > http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo03.html > > Note the female of this pair has maintained the level one threat posture. > A physical battle often takes place underwater which is out of the range > of my camera's design parameters. Once the winner is decided (home court > is a big advantage) the loser makes a hasty retreat: > > http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo06.html > http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo07.html > > which is followed by the winner's victory dance: > > http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo05.html > > all photos: R8/DMR, 560mm f/6.8 Telyt, shoulder stock & monopod. All > comments welcome. > > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >