I know this is the worst photo ever, but it’s the proof I need that Ruddy Ducks came past my deck today.
I had to rush to set up the scope near the window, trying to find a window with no screen that aligned with where the ducks WOULD BE by the time I got set up and grabbed my iPhone to take a shot through the scope! The steps that have to be executed in mere seconds include: placing the scope, adjusting the legs of the tripod, adjusting the height of the scope, turning the scope toward the water, focusing, tightening that in place, grabbing the iPhone, lining up the iPhone camera with the light coming through the scope and hoping against hope that the bird has drifted into the sites by then, otherwise some of those steps have to be repeated. It wasn’t easy, as the ducks were drifting south and toward the near bank, soon to be obscured by my deck and the retaining wall. This was the best I could do. I got in about eight shots, but all the others either didn’t show the tail or didn’t show the head (my deck railing kept being in the way).
His little face is tucked into his wing, but you can see the dark crown, lighter cheek and tail feathers sticking up the way Ruddies sometimes do.
I just posted a photo of a beautiful buzzard, not a bird most people describe as beautiful, but he is so big and fat and full of feathers! He commands a few compliments at least I think!