Jan. 10 visit to Sterne Park in Littleton, CO

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When I arrived at Sterne Park last Thursday morning I was a little surprised to see that the surface of most of the pond was frozen. These Mallards were having difficulty walking on the ice and quickly went back into the water in the part of the pond that was not frozen because of the movement of the water produced by the aerator system.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens plus 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 1600

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens plus 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 1600

Several Ring-necked ducks were actively feeding. I sat quietly at the edge of the pond until the ring-necks returned to an area close enough for a few photos.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens plus 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

The morning light was good for seeing the purple-green iridescence on the head of the Buffleheads.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens plus 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

And this Bufflehead posed for me.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens plus 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens plus 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

Can you believe I actually captured the dive of the Bufflehead? Usually I only see the splash left behind as the duck submerges.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.