A nice telephoto lens can be a great learning tool and this shot is a good example. You think you are being sneaky, hidden behind the shrubs on the rivers edge, watching this pair of Northern Shovelers feeding. Then you peer through your lens and lo and behold they are looking right back at you. Still feeding, relaxed, yet aware of your presence. Ecological awareness on display.
nature has no boss 
That is true. We are no sneaky cat…although we think we are sometimes.
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Indeed no sneaky cat… although I do sneak up pretty goon on some trees. But on second though they probably are just as aware as those ducks were of me I just am unaware of their knowing.
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hehe, yeah
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Have a great weekend.
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You too,thanks
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Your welcome, it should be a good one.
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Survival of the most alert! Great capture – I love all the details in the female – really get to see how they got their name.
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Hi Eliza, yes that females bill in this photo is amazing. Both the shape sand colors and textures are a treat to get to see. It is nice how a camera lets us see and study things we might not get to see with our own two eyes. Hope your day is gong well and wishing you a fun filled weekend. Snow is on the way here so I am excited.
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Cameras are awesome both for distance and macro – they let us really SEE the world in a whole new way. Enjoy your snowy weekend!
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Thanks I will.
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Lovely photo! You captured those watchful eyes! I’ve found Northern Shovelers to be quite sensitive to my nearness. I approach slowly (walking on land) and when I am within 4 meters, they start swimming away, their heads never leaving the water. A couple once let me stand 3 meters away, but the moment I pressed my camera button, they flew away. They came back, but a little further from the shore.
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Hi and I agree the shovelers are a bit tough to get close to and seem to have the 3-4M distance before the take off or just swim safely out of range. If we hang out in bushes on the bank and stay for awhile we can usually get them close enough for a good photo. Hope your day is gong well and wishing you a wonderful weekend.
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Thanks Mike. Have a great weekend as well! 🙂
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Your welcome, it is shaping up to be a nice and snowy weekend. SO it should be a fun one.
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They are definitely watching you carefully!
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They always are even when in a big huddle feeding. Amazing. Have a great day Laura.
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You too Mike. I hear our ducks quacking right now!
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🙂
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I’m also not bad in sneaking up on trees, I guess. They always seem suspicious at first, but after a while, they seem to relax. 😉 (sorry, being a bit silly here, just such a funny remark you made above).
I still lack such a telephoto lens in my equipment, as I want to have a good one (of course ;)) and it’s not in my current focus of “things to purchase next”. So not many new animal portraits from my side currently. First I need a good tripod.
You are using the telephoto lens with tripod too, yes? I need to have one, holding everything “freehand” is too heavy for me.
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You just never know about those trees. Wise old creatures that they are. Yes, we use a tripod with our telephoto lens although we also use a monopod sometimes. The steadier the better on the final image.
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