John Heinz NWR and Turkey Point

Today I visited both John Heinz NWR at Tinicum and Turkey Point near Millville, NJ in search of waterfowl to shoot.  There were few photographic opportunities at Heinz because virtually all of the water was frozen over.  I managed only a photo of a mallard hen admiring her reflection:

Canon 50D, 400 5.6L, f/7.1 @ 1/1000, ISO 250, EV -2/3.

I made my way to Turkey Point, where waterfowl are generally plentiful in winter.  With only 400mm at my disposal, I am unable to shoot them from a distance.  I'm forced to set up a blind at the water's edge, which immediately makes my subjects scatter.  Then I must wait for their return. Sometimes, they do not.  Often, they do.  I managed to get a shot of this lesser scaup drake between his dives for small crabs beneath the water:

Canon 50D, 400 5.6L, f/7.1 @ 1/1000, ISO 250, EV -2/3.


There were many mute swans present:



Canon 50D, 400 5.6L, f/7.1 @ 1/1600, ISO 320, EV -2/3.


Finally, I took a picture of the moon before I left:

I observed a number of hooded mergansers but was unable to photograph them.