Endeavor To Persevere

I knew they were there. I’d seen them out there before. It’s home for them, the kind of habitat they love: woody marshland, with lots of places to hide. But time and again when I’d go out there to shoot them, they were elusive, like an acquaintance who owes you money.

Wood ducks are among my favorite birds to watch, and to shoot. They’re very distinctive and beautiful, with both drakes and hens flashing gorgeous markings and colors. The drakes, like the males of most birds, are more flamboyant, with those stunning red eyes, iridescent plumage in greens and blues, and that charming helmet-like crest. But the hens also display some pretty colors, and wear lovely white eye rings, with breast patterns similar to their mates. I love to watch them, and I know where they live. But five or six times this spring, when I went to pay them a visit, they snubbed me. Spring is a great time to see them, because the marshes and ponds aren’t too heavily covered with vegetation yet, and they’re active with their mating and nest-building. But for the better part of a month, I just couldn’t get in sync with their activities, and they eluded me.

But I was persistent. I persevered. I tried, tried again. And finally, one evening after work when the weather was coolish but clear, and the setting sun provided beautiful light on the eastern part of the marsh, I saw them. Just one couple that first evening, paddling companionably along the edge of the marsh, some distance away from me and my camera, but just within range of my old 300mm zoom. They saw me, but I was sufficiently far away that they weren’t alarmed, and continued to swim amiably, not even feeding, just canoodling and gossiping and enjoying the spring evening.

The next two or three times I went back, they were in hiding again, but I kept trying. And then came an evening when they were everywhere. Lots of them. I spotted at least five different couples enjoying a swim, feeding, and nesting in the weeds and reeds and lily pads. They buzzed in and out of cover, only visible for short bursts, so shooting them took patience, and attention to their actions. But with persistence, I could grab a few shots when they crossed from one clump of reeds to another. The days were getting longer now, and I had time, at least a couple hours of good light, to watch, get to know them, and capture them inside my lens.

The lesson, of course, is simple: don’t give up. Don’t quit. If you go out into the world, into your chosen area of woods, or open field, or marsh, or seashore, or city park, or wherever you hope there will be something to shoot, but you come up empty, don’t call it quits. If you didn’t find what you were looking for, there may be other treasures to enjoy. Or maybe you won’t find much use for the camera on that outing; it happens sometimes. But if you persist, you will be ready for whatever does come along. If you give up and stay home, you won’t get anywhere. If you want to shoot Nature, you have to go out and visit her. So whether you’re looking for wood ducks or warblers, dragonflies or butterflies, stick with it. Don’t give out, don’t give in, don’t give up. Endeavor to persevere.