Chestnut Teal males have a wonderfully, almost fluorescent green head, set-off by some very red eyes. They are a truly handsome bird. Their green comes alive when the light hits it properly giving it a shimmering effect like the finest dress satin. They are also a species of duck that tolerates high salinity, which means they are often seen in estuaries and bays. So I was not that surprised when I saw their magnificent green heads on a rainy, wet Saturday in Huskisson at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum. As the saying goes on a rainy day, it was good weather for ducks. Although those teals were wild, they were accustomed to the presence of humans walking around making them easy to approach. While one male eyed me warily I was able to take the photograph above, catching its wary stare back at me. I was happy to get a shot showing the shimmering green, even if the light was not great due to the grey rain clouds. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
More of this story is on my blog at https://bit.ly/Ducks_at_Huskisson
Head study of a male Chestnut Teal on a rainy day
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Birds on a sandspit at the mouth of Currambene Creek
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Great Cormorant on a buoy off the shore from Huskisson
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
Common Toadfish seen from above the surface
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Lichen on a mangrove tree while the rain falls
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 255mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
Spotted Smooth Shore Crab searching in the sand
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
Wharf in the old boat harbour at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 100mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
Chestnut Teal male swimming in the rain
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 255mm, f/7.1 and 1/400 SEC])
That Saturday was another quick trip to the coast in less than ideal weather but I was glad that I took my camera with me. I was particularly happy that I was able to photograph the gorgeous male Chestnut Teals and make an effort to show their wonderful colours. I have photographed them previously but their colours make them such a wonderful subject, even on a rainy coastal day.
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the south coast of New South Wales has on offer. All the best until the next post.
