Mallards from Yesterday and a GBH from before the Thaw

There was over a dozen mallards in a break in the ice yesterday at Heinz NWR in Tinicum.  They didn't immediately fly away at the sight of me and my 400 5.6L, which is the usual response by the  waterfowl at the refuge.  With the exception of one, all of these photos are uncropped or 75% on the original image.  Here's some of my favorites:

I like how the sun illuminated the head of the duck at the center of the frame perfectly, while leaving the one directly in front of it in the dark. 

I really like the feather detail in this one.

Peek-a-boo

All but the last touch of sunlight, seen near the bird's beak, had been obscured behind the trees at this time.

I also saw several Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens):

I caught-up with a Great Blue Heron at the behest of a client and a Northern Harrier in the magic hour a few weeks ago but never posted the images:

Great Blue Heron Portrait (Uncropped), January 24, 2001, Canon 50D, 400mm 5.6L, f/8.0, ISO 250, EV -4/3.

Great Blue Heron on Ice (Uncropped), January 24, 2011, Canon 50D, 400mm 5.6L, f/8.0, ISO 320, EV -4/3.

Female Northern Harrier, January 24, 2011, Canon 50D, 400mm 5.6L, f/7.1 @ 1/800, ISO 400, 50% Crop.


Other species seen yesterday:


Canada Goose (abundant)
Downy Woodpecker (3)
Common Merganser (approx. 12)
Northern Harrier
Belted Kingfisher (also seen on 1/24/11)
Female Bald Eagle in Nest

Success!...Almost

After hiking several miles through the snow, I finally spotted a bald eagle within a reasonable distance today at the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Tinicum.  I still did not get the elusive bald eagle keeper shot.  I captured the bird flying away from me:

Most disappointing was that my 400mm did not provide enough reach to capture this shot of an eagle flying with the Philadelphia skyline in the distance as a backdrop.  A 700mm lens would have allowed me to get much closer to the eagle while still framing it between two skyscrapers. This is a million dollar shot that simply didn't happen solely because of equipment limitations.  I will likely make it available as a small print:

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.