Some more photos from Monday afternoon...............
One of the male Long Tailed Ducks cameback into the port and I was able to get quite close. It was in poor light and these were taken at 700mm, on a monopod.
The only time I've ever seen these in good light was the first time I visited this harbour 7 years ago, it's difficult to bring the colours out in these photos.
They dive often but always seem to pop up in the same location.
I took the teleconverter off and tried handholding...............
When it swam away it briefly rested in nicer light..............
A typical view...............
I wonder if they get annoyed by that tail sometimes...............
I think you have shown many of the challenges of bird photgrphy Stu. Good results though.
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation I'm sure that Barn Owls are no less common than when you lived in Preston. There are ten or twenty times the numbers of birders and toggers though.
I notice when I go back, RSPB reserves are heaving with people with green jackets and binoculars................
DeleteVery nice shots, especially considering the conditions. Do they use their long pintails as rudders? Or are they just decorative? The last image is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteProbably just decorative but who knows?
DeleteDoesn't matter how many times you see a Long-tailed Duck it never loses its allure. I love to hear a group of them chattering.
ReplyDeleteTogether with the eerie sounds of Black Scoters, one of my favourite sounds of late winter/early spring.............
DeleteLT Ducks are really nice...but it's hard to get perfect shots in choppy water I guess. I like the "tail only" pic, good for a mystery bird competition!
ReplyDeleteThanks John, I guess they're pretty rare in Hong Kong?
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