Lucky Shot of Lucky Duck

Sometimes, you just get lucky.  That’s what happened when I took this shot of a Mallard showing off for his girlfriend.  You can’t see her in the pic but she was just off in the distance.  I took this in the Spring of 2009 on Towne Lake in Austin, Texas.  You won’t see many animal pics on my website but who can resist them when you have the chance.

Towne Lake is really the Colorado River and runs right though the heart of Austin.  On any day of the year, you’ll see people walking, running and riding bikes on the trails that line both sides of the lake.  On most weekends, people are gathering for any of the countless festivals at Zilker park, which partly borders the lake, as well.  As if that’s not enough, the lake is full of people on canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and stand up paddle boards.

I headed out one day to take pictures of waterscapes around the lake.  I saw dozens of turtles, a pair of white swans and other birds that I had never before seen sharing the lake with humans.  This guy was swimming in front of his mate and then suddenly stopped.  I trained my camera on him just in time for him to stand up in the water and perform this dance.  There wasn’t even enough time for a second shot.  It must have worked for him because he and his partner swam off together and headed to the trees.  Really? I know I’m not a very good dancer but it was never that easy for me. It’s that rhythm thing I’ve got to work on.

Nonetheless, I still look at this picture and remember the day like it was yesterday.  To catch a moment that lasted only a few second in photography s is like hitting a home run in baseball.  I know I was lucky to get this shot but I also know the more I do things I enjoy, the more I get opportunities like this and memories that last a lifetime.  That is what the journey is all about.