Summary

An amateur photographer captures a territorial dispute between ducks at a local pond, providing a humorous narrative of the encounter and a brief critique of the camera lens used.

Abstract

In Westminster, a photographer serendipitously documents an aggressive display between a Mallard and an American Pekin duck at a local pond. The narrative humorously anthropomorphizes the ducks' behavior, likening the Mallard's attempt to assert dominance to a schoolyard scuffle. The author, who is not a professional photographer, shares his experience with renting a Canon RF 100–400 lens and his initial struggles with capturing sharp images due to incorrect autofocus settings. After adjusting the camera settings and learning from YouTube tutorials, the photographer manages to take satisfactory photos of the unusual duck behavior, reflecting on the learning experience and the joy of capturing such a unique moment.

Opinions

The author playfully admits to not being a professional photographer or a David Attenborough impersonator, indicating a self-aware and humorous approach to their photography.
The author initially blames the lens for the soft images but later realizes the issue was operator error, showing a willingness to learn and adapt.
The photographer expresses satisfaction with the results after tweaking the camera settings, highlighting the importance of technical knowledge in photography.
The author finds the ducks' behavior to be a novel experience, suggesting a genuine curiosity and appreciation for the unexpected moments in nature.
There is a hint of pride in having captured the moment of conflict between the ducks, reflecting the author's enjoyment in the unexpected photo opportunity.

NATURE

A Little Guy Looks to Take Over The Schoolyard

Wild wings on the water

I know what this duck thinks of my story. I hope that opinion isn’t universally held. © Bruce Coulter Photography

In the wilds of Westminster, a colorful predator lurks. He fits in with the crowd, patiently waiting to knock off the king of a watery schoolyard. Biding his time, he swims with his mates, eyeing the competition. He slowly, calmly circles his victim, waiting for the right moment.

In a flash, the Mallard attacks, his colors of green, brown, and purple entirely on display as he spreads his wings, showing his intention to dominate the schoolyard. His intended victim, a snow-white American Pekin, ignores the attack and attempts to go his way.

But the Mallard won’t give up, circling the Pekin, forcing it to take on a defensive posture, spreading its wings as it begins circling its opponent.

If you’re looking at the photos, you know I’m not a David Attenborough impersonator by now. I don’t even play one on TV. I think you could say I’m just full of — something.

I rented a Canon RF 100–400 f5.6–8 lens last week. I’ve got it for two weeks, so I can offer a relatively informed critique of the lens. But this story ain’t it.

My daughter and I headed out for our annual New Year’s day road trip. Briana hasn’t been feeling well of late; she has bronchitis, and it’s taken a lot out of her. We opted to stay local if she felt the need to go home.

Two ducks watch the fight from ringside. Photos by author

I, of course, had my camera in tow, hoping to find anything that might catch my eye. Nothing did, so we headed home, pausing to stop at the Old Mill Restaurant, which I’ve written about previously.

On New Year’s Eve, I shot a few photos at a local nature park, intending to test the lens. I took several photos, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t review them on my camera’s LCD screen. Stuff doesn’t happen when you have one good eye and wear bifocals.

Examining the photos when I got home, most were decent test shots. But pictures of a duck scurrying about on the ice were softer than I expected. That was pure operator error. I refreshed my memory with a few YouTube videos and discovered where I had gone wrong. I reset my AF settings to a single-point instead of a large horizontal zone AF.

The ducks at ringside appear to be waiting for some popcorn. Photos by author

With a few more tweaks, I was ready to go. I’m pretty happy with the results. If I have one complaint, it’s this: I had my shutter speed set to 1/500th of a second. I wish I’d set it for 1/1000th instead. There’s a bit of motion blur in a few of the photos. Live and learn.

That was the first time I witnessed a pond fight between ducks. I’ve visited off and on over the years and have never seen that type of behavior. Sure, they’ll do anything to get to a piece of corn first, but this was new to me. I had my drive mode set to high-speed continuous and clicked away. The argument didn’t last long — I had taken 30 or 40 shots by the time it ended.

This Mallard is just chillin’ with the fight over. Photo by author

I’m not sure if two alpha males were trying to establish their dominance, but I’m glad I caught it in the photos.