Just Cruisin': Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform. #1...

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform.

#1 Mallard Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500L @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-250

#2 Hybrid Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500 @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-320

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Dan' de Bourgogne

robertjerl wrote:

Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform.

#1 Mallard Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500L @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-250

#2 Hybrid Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500 @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-320

both are nicely exposed! Superb "anatidés"...I love the blue of the water in the 1st one!

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Great captures.
I notice exposures were adjusted only by change in ISO, meaning your decisions on Focus, DOF etc were constant and well thought out.

junglejim1949 Loc: Sacramento,CA

robertjerl wrote:

Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform.

#1 Mallard Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500L @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-250

#2 Hybrid Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500 @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-320

Very nice Robert #1 is my favorite.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Dan' de Bourgogne wrote:

both are nicely exposed! Superb "anatidés"...I love the blue of the water in the 1st one!

Thanks. The right angle that the blue sky was reflecting off the "pond scrum green" water resulting in this deep blue color.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

nimbushopper wrote:

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Delderby wrote:

Great captures.
I notice exposures were adjusted only by change in ISO, meaning your decisions on Focus, DOF etc were constant and well thought out.

Thank you. I usually set SS for my fastest subject, in this case if one of the ducks took to the air, f-stop one or two from wide open for sharpness and DOF for the distance and ISO goes on Auto with me trusting the camera's light meter.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

junglejim1949 wrote:

Very nice Robert #1 is my favorite.

Thanks, #1 looks like you would expect a drake with a Green head to look.
But esp around parks you see a lot of cross-breeds. Mallards will breed with anything with feathers and people are always leaving various domestic ducks, geese etc. they got tired of caring for in their garden pond. Or, they discovered those cute little fuzzballs from the pet store at Easter don't stay little fuzzballs for long.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

robertjerl wrote:

Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform.

#1 Mallard Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500L @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-250

#2 Hybrid Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500 @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-320

Nice shots Robert.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

robertjerl wrote:

Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform.

#1 Mallard Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500L @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-250

#2 Hybrid Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500 @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-320

Fantastic set!!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

J-SPEIGHT wrote:

Nice shots Robert.

thanks a lot

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Manglesphoto wrote:

Fantastic set!!

thanks very much

NikonGal Loc: Central Oregon

Nicely caught. Love the curl in the tail of the 2nd one. Bev

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

robertjerl wrote:

Two drakes, one pure mallard and one mallard hybrid, just cruising past at the Riverwalk Parkway. Taken handheld from the raised walkway to the observation platform.

#1 Mallard Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500L @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-250

#2 Hybrid Drake
Canon RP, RF 100-500 @ 500, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO-320

I know it is not so, but I love these guys for that apparent little smile I see every time I look at a shot 💚💚💚💚💚