The sun came out for a bit yesterday so I went down to my local urban ponds. I was tickled to find and photograph a drake American Wigeon resting in the snow.
Drake American Wigeon resting in snow – Nikon D500, f9, 1/400, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The wigeon within easy reach of my lens. Because it was, I was able take full frame images of him without moving my Jeep.
In addition to my close proximity to the wigeon, I had lovely morning light. To my delight the drake also turned his head a few times which caused the iridescence behind his eye to glow. The light blanket of fresh snow on the ground even covered the piles of pooh. There are plenty of other ducks and geese that leave that green manure in the area.
American Wigeons can be found in northern Utah year round. My best, and most memorable, experiences with this species have been during the winter.
American Wigeon drake with snow on his bill – Nikon D500, f9, 1/400, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Prior to taking the first photo I took this image of the drake wigeon. At first I wasn’t going to include this image in this post at all. The thing is, I liked the bits of snow the wigeon had on its bill. Because of the lighter colored background, that snow didn’t show in the top image. The dark feathers of the out of focus hen Mallard in the frame helped that snow to show.
Note:
While I would have liked better light on the back and tail of the drake, I worked with the light I had.
Not long after I took these photos the wigeon stood up and flew out onto the pond. I thanked the wigeon, turned my Jeep on, and went to look for other birds.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Wigeon photos plus facts and information about this species.
Wonderful shots! Love the detail and the colors contrast beautifully against the snow. Thanks Mia.
That looks like a very chilly spot to rest. I’m glad you included the 2nd shot, Mia. Besides the snow on his bill, the iridescence seems brighter and the little bit of green on his wing pops more, even with the darker shot. He’s a looker! Hope he impresses the ladies and has a robust family this spring!
Just wonderful. We have Widgeons here in Juneau now migrating north. Every now and then an Eurasian cousin or 2 of 3 will get in the mix. To me their profile when they are swimming resembles a swan.