‘Life on a Post’ will probably be my theme for next year’s calendar. I have quite a collection of images where birds are roosting, preening, feeding fledglings and even smiling, on posts. Photographs that show virtually anything made by humans aren’t permitted in nature or wildlife categories in international competitions, so regardless of how much I like such images I can’t enter them in my favourite categories.
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
Canon 5DIII, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 400
Grey Teal are small ducks that I find absolutely charming. They are subtly coloured greyish-brown with soft buff edges to their feathers. They have red eyes and white throats. Chestnut Teal are a similar species, especially the female which can only be identified by checking her throat feathers which are pale brown rather than the white feathers of the Grey Teal. Chestnut males are easier to identify as they have dark green heads and chestnut underparts.
Apart from the cute smile in the image above I like the little flurry of triangles along the teal’s back and the detail of wrinkles on its foot.
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
Canon 5DIII, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 400
A couple of weeks ago I changed some of the banner images for lirralirra and the image above is one I chose. I have several banner images set on ‘random’ so there’s about a one in eight chance that this image will appear twice when clicking on the page.
Grey Teal are found across Australia, just about anywhere they can find water. They feed by dabbling, upending or grazing on water or land plants. They also eat crustaceans and insects and can often be found in mixed flocks with Chestnut Teal. Unfortunately they are one of the native duck species that is on the so-called ‘game’ list and it is currently legal to shoot them during the Victorian duck hunting season, which I hope will be banned between now and next autumn.
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
Canon 5DIII, 1/640, f/7.1, ISO 800
Many birds stand on one leg when resting, which seems a bit counter-intuitive but is actually quite restful, I do it myself, ‘quack quack’. This teal has nestled its bill beneath its feathers and its eye was closed most of the time, it occasionally peeked to make sure nothing was making its way across the water towards it. At one point it became restless and seemed bothered by something to my left, when I glanced around there was a man standing right beside me which was startling to say the least, especially as I was squatted low in the mud and not expecting anyone to venture anywhere close. The ground was so soft that I hadn’t heard his footsteps. I’d taken quite a while to creep close to the ducks and was glad they didn’t fly when he turned up.
The background in these images is a mixture of green and brown reeds on the far side of the wetlands. The smaller aperture in the third image meant that I needed a higher ISO to optimise the exposure, it also means that the background reeds are less blurred than in the f5.6 images.
Happy birding, Kim
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I love the first picture. The position of the bill makes it particularly enchanting and as always the feather detail from your photography is superb.
Thank you Margot! It was a very cute moment to capture the teal looking as though it was smiling, I’m glad you like it too.
Hi Kim,
many thanks for this superb pictures.
The Duck is very nice too… :))
Alain from France.
Bonjour Alain, I’m glad you like the duck, merci beaucoup
That red eye is almost startling but I absolutely adore the first shot – makes me smile and those are my favorite shots. I think your idea for your calendar theme is PERFECT!
I often think their eyes look as though the saturation levels have been fiddled with even when they haven’t. That’s good about the smile and the calendar : )
Aw they are soooo lovely!
And they think you’re lovely too!
Great photos Kim, makes you wonder how people can shoot them 🙁
I’m 100% with you on that Malcolm! I posted a Willie Wagtail image a while ago and was thinking of you. I tried to access your APP with no luck, could you send the details when you get a chance. Thanks.
I have never really understood the ban on ‘man-made’ artifacts. If the birds can adapt to them (which they do) why can’t the judges. So beit.
I do love this series. So much.
And share your wish about the cessation of the obscenity which it the hunting season.
It’s particularly odd about the man-made artifacts when they allow chimneys for storks and barns for barn owls, I think it’s possibly a matter of time but is complicated because the nature category also includes landscapes. I’m glad you enjoyed the series.