I am scouting locations and subjects in New Mexico for my Best of Bosque Workshop. The conditions were perfect when I arrived at my usual Wood Duck spot long before dawn. I knew exactly where to be for sunrise to get the golden background, and the flat water from the windless morning helped make the scene memorable when this Drake Wood Duck put on a show.
Wood Duck Golden Pond (Aix sponsa, Canard branchu, WODU) from this morning (November 29, 2024) while scouting for my Better than Bosque workshop. Near Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 1,250, f/8 @ 1/5,000s. Full frame image. Manual exposure.