Common Goldeneye Kick Sequence

12-5-2023

This sequence from early May happened in less than 0.5 secs – I didn’t pick every shot from that timeframe.

When male Common Goldeneyes that are part mixed sex groups encounter each other, by swimming or a fly-in, this behavior often results. So that is the time to be prepared for it, because it happens quick. It can also happen when a breeding pair meets an unpaired male. That is what happened here, on an inland pond. Either or both of the males can kick.

When I take clients in-the-field I always make them aware of a behavior such as this. I tell them the typical behavior that precedes the action – here the male throws his head back, but the little dip following that is the time to hit the shutter. I also tell clients the best settings to use for capturing explosive action, based and my years of trial and error with the specific behavior. For example, 1/4000 sec is the minimum stop action shutter speed for this behavior. But say a Wood Duck or Blue-winged Teal were to take-off into flight in a burst, the minimum shutter speed to consistently capture sharp images would be 1/6400 sec. They also almost always burst on about a 45 degree angle up and out of the water. Knowing that helps you prepare for the direction of panning. When a little Bufflehead makes a burst take-off it always runs on the water (a different direction of panning) but starts off like its shot out of a cannon. It is difficult to hit the shutter button in time to capture explosive takeoffs, but as long as you hit the button within 1/2 sec (which is not hard to do) you have a great chance, with the newer technology on some cameras.

Eye tracking can be used with the Goldeneye kick behavior but so can wide zone focus (“Large Zone AF Horizontal” with the Canon R5). I used wide zone focus because I was at a pond with Wood Ducks and Blue-winged teal flying around at that time as well. And to capture a flight image or landing (on shadow line) requires quick reaction and acquiring focus on a flying subject. That is much easier to do (and effective) using wide zone focus. So, I was equally prepared to capture a variety of actions. I make sure clients are prepared in this way.

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