The last couple of times I have gone out to photograph have been slow bird wise so I dug back into my archives for photos to share this morning, back to the last day of 2017 to be more precise.
Drake Common Goldeneye flapping his wings – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I’m on the road a lot during the year to search for birds to photograph, I get up very early in the morning, head out before the sun is even close to rising with my coffee in a travel mug hurrying to get to my location for the best light right after sunrise. That means a lot of hours spent on the road to and from the locations I go to when I am looking for birds. During the winter I have another option, photographing birds on a pond close to home and I really enjoy that.
Winter brings geese, coots, gulls, grebes, a few raptors and ducks to my local pond, I can be there in less than five minutes and home in that amount of time too.
I only see Common Goldeneyes in northern Utah during their nonbreeding season because they breed well north of here so I get a touch excited when they show up at my local pond.
Common Goldeneye drake on the last day of 2017 – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Common Goldeneye drakes are pretty flashy with their black and white bodies, white spots on their cheeks, iridescent green head feathers and bright yellow eyes.
Drake Common Goldeneye gliding by on a winter day – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
It is wonderful to be able to head down to the pond here in the winter, photograph birds and to be back home in minutes especially when there are such handsome birds to be found so close to home.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Common Goldeneye photos plus facts and information about this species.
I don’t remember seeingva gokden eye ” in oerson”…they cerainly are very elegant looking birds…
Neither common nor abundant here. And a lovely thing to see this dark morning.
They are such cool looking birds. I wish we had them down here. I’ll have to just be content with the 30 or so Mallards I saw in my neighborhood this week. 🙂
I don’t think I have seen this duck before. Maybe because I live so far South. And they must not be in the sanctuaries around me because people post shots of everything.
This duck is unique with the large head and small body. Even the wings appear small. But the males are very attractive. Love the stark contrast of black and white. Your first shot reminds me of a plane getting ready for takeoff. Would love to see them in flight.
So thanks for sharing your pictures of a breed that is new to me. And quite handsome!