After enduring strong 25 degree F howling winds at Stewart Park this morning trying to get a good glimpse of the Eurasian Wigeon, with my fingers freezing, my eyes running with tears, and my scope blowing around, I too really appreciate the photos of this lovely bird taken by Barbara Clise!
It seems that the relentless winds overnight created an elevated ice dike on the mud flat at the edge of the waves, so most the time the E. Wigeon was bobbing around behind this ice pile, unseen, or poorly seen for a few seconds, from the shore at S. Park. Thanks Barbara! Donna Scott Donna L. Scott 535 Lansing Station Road Lansing, NY 14882 From: bounce-125460080-15001...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-125460080-15001...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Nutter Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2021 11:49 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] local bird photo worth seeing, IMO Hi all, I’d like to tell you about a photo that I think is subtly wonderful. It’s of the male Eurasian Wigeon which showed up at Stewart Park around mid-day Friday and was present at least through mid-day Sunday, quite a show for a rarity, and seen by many. The place is famous for birds, with shallow lake water which ducks favor, and a north view so they are lit well, although not so sunny at the recorded moment. The work is by photographer Barbara Clise, and it is the picture on the right in her eBird report found here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S83399339 Please have a look at that photo, tap on it to see it full-screen, and appreciate it for yourself before being distracted by my comments about it below. - - Dave Nutter - - - - This photo by Barbara Clise of a male Eurasian Wigeon in breeding plumage is, to me, gorgeous, the one where it is not quite in profile, swimming, and turned slightly toward us... ... the low angle; we are at the level of the bird in the cold lake ... ... the waves in the background, the line across the bottom of that rough water passing through the Wigeon’s eye ... ... the foreground of calmer water ending at another line connecting the Wigeon’s chin and the tip of its bill ... ... the snow flakes falling ... ... with its head and eye centered, the Wigeon moves forward within our view ... ... its body is balanced by a pair of anonymous Mallards, the female’s white-edged tail pointing to the Wigeon’s eye, while the pattern of gray, black, and white on the male Mallard balances and points to the Wigeon’s head ... ... even the black of the Wigeon’s bill tip and its rear end have similar background markings to balance and highlight them, yet draw the eye toward the subject ... ... the hues of the drake Eurasian Wigeon, the soft gray of the back and sides - so similar to the waters - transitioning to his pink breast, then a crescendo of color in the cinnamon head, the creamy white forecrown, and the pale blue bill, which is somehow the same color as the band of water behind it ... ... and always the eye gazing at us. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
