Bufflehead – Icy Takeoff

I shot this female Bufflehead taking off on the ice at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye last Saturday, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked them. Though the light never seemed very good that day, I feel like I got a good exposure on these, showing the details of the birds head pretty well. The bird made an icy landing, quite close to the pier, which I watched but didn’t photograph. I took some photos of the bird perched (one of which I posted on Saturday) and then got the following shots of the bird as she took off from the frozen Long Island Sound.

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~This is the shot that I really like, the head is  sharp enough while there is some good blurring beginning on the wings. Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~
~She is starting to get air born here as she runs across the ice to pick up speed for the take off. Female Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~
~She is starting to get air born here and I love the position of her wings as she runs across the ice to pick up speed for the take off. Female Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary, 2/21/15.~
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~Here she looks cute and almost a little dainty as she continues her run to takeoff. Female Bufflehead at Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye, NY 2/21/15. ~

11 thoughts on “Bufflehead – Icy Takeoff”

  1. These are great, Matt.
    I like that there is a reflection on the ice making it even more interesting.
    Wilma

  2. These made me smile & even giggle. The 1st one is kinda like a a fan dancer and kinda like Dracula about to embrace a victim in a cloak. I love the way the 2nd one has the head & feet in crisp focus while the legs blur; like a cartoon takeoff in which the legs are running but the boid ain’t movin’! The 3rd one just reminds me of Daffy Duck doing a goofy leap. And none of these comments were enhanced with any kind of intoxicating substance, legal or otherwise… 🙂

    2. Marianne, that just made me laugh. I think I need to have you start writing the captions for me. Matt

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