This Bufflehead is a fairly large crop but not major. Now I have a new quest as I did with the Ruddy to get him full frame so I can print him and add him along side my buddy Mr. Mallard and cute Ruddy Quests are good!
Here is my cute Ruddy again. Hey I just came up with his new name "Ruddy my Buddy" do you all like?? Any idea what he is thinking? He surely looks happy, doesn't he?
Here is my Big Buddy I don't understand why I bonded with him but I think he is utterly adorable! He is dreaming of his Mrs. Mallard He surely has the right idea just hope he puts some sunblock on
Oh no! I guess my Cute Ruddy Buddy will be doing a lot of directing Geese traffic because here comes my other buddies at least they are obeying the traffic rules and keeping in single file!
And then this guy showed up. I think it is a Red Shouldered Hawk. This is my first picture of a hawk. He made a short circle of the lake and landed in a tree fairly close by on the other side of the lake. I tried to get some pictures of him but I couldn't find him quick enough in the branches. This is because at 1280mm effective focal length the field of view is very narrow.
I don't know if its harder pulling out the birds from a blue sky or in the brush. What do you think Eagles are fairly easy pulling out of a blue sky because they are so big. This guy was much smaller and well camouflaged in the branches.
He was only there for a few seconds and then flew to a tree further away. This is the best shot I got of him. He is not totally in focus because of the branches and I didn't have time to do much of anything. The camera was on single point focus and not spot autofocus and again only there for a few seconds before he flew off again. When he came all the waterfowl scattered in all different directions, but within 30 seconds he was gone.
Thank you all for continuing to follow me at the lake! It's been a pleasure. I hope you continue to follow me in my quest to find all the little waterfowl and birds. I just hope its not to cold with grey skies next week because the weather is turning nasty. Friends get out your woolens and ear muffs
4 is hilarious and I’ve never seen one sleep like that. Yes you can crop yet can’t go too far as the quality starts to fail. I’ve found that when I wade out to the birds, many accept me and don’t flee so I get very close.
How can you not love the 4th shot...it is brilliant. Nice grab on the red shouldered and yup shooting between branches is quite a bit harder than a nice clean sky and a big bird.
Well done!
Eric
Eagles are fairly easy pulling out of a blue sky because they are so big. This guy was much smaller and well camouflaged in the branches. 
and again only there for a few seconds before he flew off again. When he came all the waterfowl scattered in all different directions, but within 30 seconds he was gone.
~ Ron
