Going for the Gold
I swear, this duck thinks he's Michael Phelps. Or maybe Usain Bolt. Look at him stretching for the win. I think he might even be smiling.
Two wintering Lesser Scaup moving across the water in the golden light right before sunset, at Nashville's remarkable urban wilderness, Radnor Lake State Natural Area.
Taken hand-held at 600mm FF equiv. focal length with my 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Zuiko supertele lens on my OM-D E-M5. The light was getting low, so I had to bump it up to ISO 2000 just to be able to pull off 1/200 of a second. Again, that's hand-held at three times the standard focal length rule. Thank goodness for IBIS. They were halfway across the lake.
The 1,200+ acre (4.45 km²) nature preserve lies in the heart of Nashville, unusual for a major American city. Four unpaved trails wander through the woods surrounding the lake, where hikers enjoy wilderness native to Middle Tennessee, including river otters, beavers, mink, muskrat, bobcat, coyote and the white-tailed deer. The most popular trail is the paved road that runs along the water, where cars are no longer allowed. There is a visitor's center open daily. Radnor Lake was created by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company in 1914, and was initially used for watering steam locomotives and supplying the watering pens for shipped livestock. Afterwards, it became a local sportsman's club for L & N executives and guests. In 1962, the property was sold to be developed but initial work proved to be problematic and public pressure influenced the state to purchase the property in 1973 and create the State's first Natural Area. (Wikipedia)
In the summer, Radnor hosts a typical mix of eastern woodland breeding species, including Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Kentucky Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrushes, and others. Of particular interest to birders is the very visible population of Prothonotary Warblers. These birds are easily observed along the Spillway and Otter Creek Road, and can be surprisingly approachable on the road. Wood Ducks and Canada Geese nest around the lake as well. Observers should be careful not to approach too close to Canada Geese with young, as these birds are very aggressive and have been known to bite the unwary! In the winter, the main attraction is ducks. The lake generally hosts several hundred birds, consisting mainly of Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Gadwall, and Mallards. However, almost any of Tennessee's duck species can occur hear, including records of all three scoter species and Long-tailed Ducks. Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots are also regular, with the occasional Common Loon or Horned Grebe to spice things up. (Tennessee Ornithological Society)
Going for the Gold
I swear, this duck thinks he's Michael Phelps. Or maybe Usain Bolt. Look at him stretching for the win. I think he might even be smiling.
Two wintering Lesser Scaup moving across the water in the golden light right before sunset, at Nashville's remarkable urban wilderness, Radnor Lake State Natural Area.
Taken hand-held at 600mm FF equiv. focal length with my 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Zuiko supertele lens on my OM-D E-M5. The light was getting low, so I had to bump it up to ISO 2000 just to be able to pull off 1/200 of a second. Again, that's hand-held at three times the standard focal length rule. Thank goodness for IBIS. They were halfway across the lake.
The 1,200+ acre (4.45 km²) nature preserve lies in the heart of Nashville, unusual for a major American city. Four unpaved trails wander through the woods surrounding the lake, where hikers enjoy wilderness native to Middle Tennessee, including river otters, beavers, mink, muskrat, bobcat, coyote and the white-tailed deer. The most popular trail is the paved road that runs along the water, where cars are no longer allowed. There is a visitor's center open daily. Radnor Lake was created by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company in 1914, and was initially used for watering steam locomotives and supplying the watering pens for shipped livestock. Afterwards, it became a local sportsman's club for L & N executives and guests. In 1962, the property was sold to be developed but initial work proved to be problematic and public pressure influenced the state to purchase the property in 1973 and create the State's first Natural Area. (Wikipedia)
In the summer, Radnor hosts a typical mix of eastern woodland breeding species, including Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Kentucky Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrushes, and others. Of particular interest to birders is the very visible population of Prothonotary Warblers. These birds are easily observed along the Spillway and Otter Creek Road, and can be surprisingly approachable on the road. Wood Ducks and Canada Geese nest around the lake as well. Observers should be careful not to approach too close to Canada Geese with young, as these birds are very aggressive and have been known to bite the unwary! In the winter, the main attraction is ducks. The lake generally hosts several hundred birds, consisting mainly of Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Gadwall, and Mallards. However, almost any of Tennessee's duck species can occur hear, including records of all three scoter species and Long-tailed Ducks. Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots are also regular, with the occasional Common Loon or Horned Grebe to spice things up. (Tennessee Ornithological Society)