Bathing birds are fast. Even larger birds like ducks are surprisingly fast while bathing, so fast that the observer is often unaware of what’s really going on. That’s where photography comes in handy.
Five days ago I spent some time at a local pond photographing Mallards in an attempt to test my newly repaired lens. I timed my visit to the pond just right to catch many of the Mallards in a bathing frenzy and the male in the following photos was one of my most enthusiastic subjects
The first 10 photos below are sequential with no skips and were taken in a burst that lasted exactly one second.
Just before this sequence began the male Mallard had his back to me so I didn’t begin my burst until he started to bathe again. Here he was using his feet to gain some elevation and momentum at the beginning of a…
somersault that essentially flipped him…
upside down on the surface of the water.
Mallards are “dabbling ducks” – they feed in the water by tipping forward and grazing on underwater plants. They’re unusually buoyant and almost never dive so getting his dorsal (back) feathers wet and clean wasn’t easy.
This maneuver allowed him to….
get his dorsal feathers underwater so at this point he erected them as he shook and quivered almost violently which began to accomplish the task of getting his dorsal feathers wet and clean.
Now he had to recover which required a semi-barrel roll as he began to…
right himself on the water. Now we can see his yellow bill again.
His head emerged and at this point he…
shook it violently but I had so much shutter speed (1/6400) his head didn’t show any motion blur.
Here we can see that he was actually using his wings, his left wing in particular, to power his rotation in the water.
At that point he popped back up onto the surface.
Five frames later the only remnants of his bathing activity were a few tiny water drops near his back that were still flying through the air and a larger drop falling off of his bill.
All that’s a pretty extensive agenda to accomplish in just over one second but he did it. And without photography we’d never really know all (or at least most) of the steps involved.
Much ado about nothing? I suppose it depends on your perspective and your interests. As for me I like seeing stuff like this.
Ron
Note: Do you ever wonder about the origin of weird words like “somersault”? I do.
“Mid 16th century (as a noun): from Old French sombresault, from Provençal sobresaut, from sobre ‘above’ + saut ‘leap’.”
While watching young Canada Goose Goslings just learning to eat underwater plant, I laughed at them for flipping upside-down. Some of them kept on trying to eat and others shook their heads and got out of the water. I just thought it was a mistake they were making not some future bathing move. Thanks to you and your camera, I now know geese and ducks do this on purpose.
What a timely post. This weekend I videoed geese doing this exact same thing. I’m sure people biking by were wondering what I was laughing out loud about❗️
Yes, geese are known for bathing upside down too.
This post was a hoot! and Diana, I laugh at birds too at public places and I’m the only one laughing. Same way with movie theaters, I’m the only one laughing 🙂
Late to the party, Ron, but that was AMAZING!!! I’m still not 100% sure about which part of the duck I’m seeing in most of those frames! I once had 80,000 Mallards fly over my position in a marsh at sunset (during fall migration) and I’ve never looked at the mighty Mallard the same way again. Thanks for offering another perspective. Glad your trusty camera is back!
“I once had 80,000 Mallards fly over my position in a marsh at sunset”
Holy moly Diane, I’ll bet that was a sight and a sound you won’t forget!
Absolutely terrific, Ron!!! Thanks for the belly laugh as I saw the first frame, and thanks for this amazing sequence. Since I’m not a photographer, I’m especially thankful for folks like you, Sir Dudley Duck! Wear the title with pride.
“Sir Dudley Duck! Wear the title with pride”
Nanci, I can do that now that I’m an old fart. When I was six years old I wasn’t too happy about it… 🙂
I’m on EC’s wavelength again — the first word that came to mind was “Wowzers!” What a fabulous series!!!
Thank you, Marty.
Incredible!
Thanks, Stephen.
From chaos to serenity in one second — what a feat for duck and Dudley! Fabulous action scenes and the colors of that Mallard are glorious, so bright and — yes — squeaky clean! Perhaps the damage to your bank account is more than offset by the return to clarity you hoped for?
“Perhaps the damage to your bank account is more than offset by the return to clarity you hoped for?”
Chris, apparently I thought it was a tradeoff worth making because given the same choice I’d do it again. In a heartbeat.
And your comment about “duck and Dudley” brought back a memory. When I was in first (or second) grade one of the characters in our reader was Dudley Duck. Some of my little friends teased me with that name, which they assigned to me too.
I like it too.
It’s in our blood isn’t it, April.
I adore your behavioural series – even something as ‘inconsequential’ as bathing.
All that in a second? Wowsers.
Pretty impressive in that amount of time, EC.
Incredible to see what is happening in so short a time. I have seen Mallards flip over but rarely and, of course, I had no idea all of this was going on. Canada Geese sometimes do forward somersaults but it’s slower and easier to see what is happening. Behaviors are always fascinating and you’ve captured a beautiful sequence for us to see.
Thanks very much, Dan. On that morning at least one of the female Mallards was doing this same thing. And yes, I’ve photographed Canada Geese doing it too.
Whether he’s bathing, showing off, or just having fun, it’s an impressive display.
I’d judge this to be a 10.0 in technical. For both the Mallard and the photographer.
Thanks from both of us, Lyle!
What an outstanding series. Nobody tops a Mallard for getting a complete and thorough bath.
Thank you, Everett.
One second?!!! So much happening that our eyes cannot comprehend. Really appreciate this series Ron.
Yup, one second.
The mirror in my camera was flapping so furiously in front of my eye I really had no idea what I’d photographed until I got home and reviewed the photos.
Wow, wow, wow! So much fun. And sharp as a tack. Great series.
Thanks very much, Granny Pat.
I love seeing moments like this – great sequence (and the lens seems to be doing extraordinarily well).
Thank you, S.
I love this series!!! It is hard to believe that all that action happened within one second! I am so happy that your repaired lens is behaving. Does Canon tell you what was wrong or do they just make the repair?
Melanie, the main problem with my lens was a lens group assembly that needed to be replaced. It wasn’t cheap but it had to be done. So far I’m very happy with the results but less happy about the damage to my bank account.
Thanks, can’t wait to show my Grandson!
I hope your grandson gets a kick out of it, Mary.
WOW ! All of that flashy rotation in ONE SECOND ? Being able to make that observation alone is worth having the wonderful technology contained in your very sophisticated equipment– and I’m just amazed at the crispness of the images you’ve
captured……I’ll bet you’re thrilled with results of your repair!
“I’ll bet you’re thrilled with results of your repair!”
I sure am, Kris. I’m beginning to see my lens as an old and trusted friend again, rather than one who might stab me in the back at any moment… 🙂
That’s delightful! I got a vicarious thrill as he was submerged on his back and flapping his wings. I wonder if I can do anything that exciting today?
Alison, I hope you find a substitute today that’s just as exciting!
WOW! VBG! That’s impressive – great “stop action” sequence so get a clue as to what’s REALLY going on! Thx, Ron! 🙂
Glad you liked it, Judy. Thanks.