JimB

Female Ring-necked Ducks

Been there, done that, in fact, I just bought a new pair of waders, my old ones sprung a leak!

Bufflehead

Some great advice above, IKLland pointed out some of the basics for a great image and others have posted links to some good websites. However, for me there are two important aspects that can't be taught, those are passion and patience. I find that I capture my best images by waiting for the subjects to come to me and that sometimes requires being in one place, well hidden, for a couple of hours maybe. I'll scout a location where I know my target species is likely to occur and set up in a place where the light angle will be right and there's a nice clean background. Yes, you can get some great shots by walking around with a camera but the more you have control over the setting the greater the chances of capturing an image that just wouldn't be possible walking around. Below is a shot of a couple of drake wood ducks that I took a few days ago. I know they were on this marsh and there would be no way that I could get this shot if I approached them in the open so I found a spot along the edge of the marsh where I knew the sun would be rising behind me. I put camo netting over my camera/lens and myself and laid flat then waited for the ducks to come into range. This technique is not for everyone and requires dedication and patience but sometimes it's the only way to get decent results. The same technique can be used for songbirds by placing an attractive perch over a water drip or some seeds, stay hidden and wait.

Red-breasted Merganser

Here's my favorite Belted Kingfisher shot that I took this past July.

Looks like a Canvasback BigOly beat me to it!?

Golden-crowned Kinglet

No worries, I also forgot about Black Duck, I had Wigeon on my mind because of some recent sightings in the same area and a quick Google search showed some similar photos to mine.

I photographed it a few days ago in northeast Ohio. After doing some more research I can see that Mallard x Black Duck looks good also. Thank you.

Please confirm if this is a Mallard x American Wigeon hybrid and if so how common or rare is it. Thank you!

Third-party chargers are generally ok but I would stick with the manufacturers battery, especially if the camera is still under warranty since a third-party battery can void that warranty, besides, the battery is the heartbeat of the camera, you don't want to cut corners there. As for the lens hood you can usually find a suitable alternative at a lower cost than the original manufacturer. Unfortunately for me I'd have to pay $650 to replace the lens hood on my primary birding lens and the only third-party lens hood I've seen is a soft, collapsible one!

Gray morph Eastern Screech-Owl in a sycamore tree cavity.