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Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

Pink-eared Duck

Pink-eared Duck (Image ID 39075)
Photographed byJim Schultz on Sat 6th Sep, 2008 and uploaded on Sun 16th Feb, 2020 .
Resolution1400x923
Viewed721
ID39075
CommentThis particular image spent a long time in ‘Critique’ and this is my concluding MkV version, in which I also flipped the image horizontally, as the western world human brain is conditioned to read from left to right, and is said to perceive speed as travelling in that direction, too! This Pink-eared Duck took off following another one, and its behaviour gave fair warning prior to take-off, and so I captured the bird precisely at lift-off in early morning light. The species is a filter feeder with a large, spatular bill, adapted to feeding on plankton. It does, however also take insects, small crustaceans and molluscs. The highly specialised bill contains rows of lamellae, and features mandibular flaps for scooping up and straining tiny food items from water and mud, not unlike the manner in which baleen whales are filtering krill from water. A pair of pink-eared ducks may use head-to-tail vortexing when feeding, thus ensuring better food item concentration in the centre of the vortex. This duck species is a rather small duck, highly nomadic and mostly rather shy. Males and females are difficult to tell apart, and both parents tend to the offspring. The author has seen as many as five ducklings in tow of the parents. Herdsman Lake. Status: Least Concern
EquipmentNikon D3 camera body, Nikkor AF-S ED 500mm f4 D IF lens, Manfrotto Article 055B tripod, Manfrotto Video Pro Article 136 tripod head Camera Settings: Aperture Priority f4, EV -0.3; Shutter speed 1/6400s, ISO-1250. Centre Weighted Metering Mode, Focus Mode: AF-C; AF-Area Mode ’Dynamic/9 points. Picture Control: Vivid. Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw/CC 2019 for re-work in ‘Layers’; Topaz Pro plug-ins for extensive sharpening and noise control. ‘Australian Bird Guide 2019’ for additional data and colour checks. Slater’s ‘Australian Field Guide’, ‘Australian Bird Guide 2019’ and the RAW file for colour check.
LocationHerdsman Lake, Western Australia
Keywordsin flight, adult, behaviour/display
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