Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler swimming on dark water.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Cross Timbers Trail footbridge, Fort Worth, TX, November 13, 2021
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens with a 2.0x teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-2000; f/14; 1/2000 sec.

This page is for the Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata). This species is fairly common at most bodies of water I visit. The November 13, 2021 photo is my first photographic evidence of this duck. The best photograph I have taken of the Norther Shoveler to date (above) is the same photograph, taken at the Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX. This duck has beautiful patterned colors and a very large bill perfect for searching for food in the muddy bottom of the water. I really enjoy seeing these ducks when I am out.

The following photographs are the best representative images from different dates and locations than my species representative example.

Several Northern Shovelers swimming near the shore of the river.
Northern Shoveler, Clear Fork of the Trinity River and Hulen St., Fort Worth, TX, December 4, 2021
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 24-70 mm lens; 70 mm; ISO-640; f/4.5; 1/640 sec.
Northern Shovelers swimming near some grasses and some American Wigeons.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Cross Timbers Trail footbridge, Fort Worth, TX, December 11, 2021
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-1600; f/7.1; 1/2500 sec.
Four Northern Shovelers, three hens followed by a drake, swimming single-file next to the far shore of the marsh.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve March Boardwalk, Fort Worth, TX, December 24, 2021
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-2000; f/6.3; 1/3200 sec.
Three Northern Shoveler hens swimming in calm water.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Cross Timbers Trail footbridge, Fort Worth, TX, December 30, 2021
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-2500; f/7.1; 1/2000 sec.
A Northern Shoveler swimming with many other ducks beyond it on the water.
Northern Shoveler, Cement Creek Reservoir, Fort Worth, TX, December 31, 2021
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-2000; f/6.3; 1/1600 sec.
Three Northern Shovelers swimming near some grasses and reeds.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Cross Timbers Trail footbridge, Fort Worth, TX, January 2, 2022
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-2000; f/6.3; 1/2500 sec.
Female Northern Shoveler flying low over the water with some dry plants behind it.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve River Road, Fort Worth, TX, January 15, 2022
Canon EOS 5Ds R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-2500; f/6.3; 1/2500 sec.
Northern Shoveler flapping its wings while another one is sitting out of the water on a branch and two more are swimming nearby.
Northern Shoveler, Village Creek, Arlington, TX, January 17, 2022
Canon EOS 5Ds R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-640; f/6.3; 1/500 sec.
A Northern Shoveler swimming near the shore of a pond with a Mallard and another duck nearby.
Northern Shoveler, Colleyville Nature Center, Colleyville, TX, March 5, 2022
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 375 mm; ISO-6400; f/5.6; 1/250 sec.
Three Northern Shovelers preening while swimming.
Northern Shoveler, Clear Fork Trinity River and Bellaire, Fort Worth, TX, April 3, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens; 500 mm; ISO-400; f/7.1; 1/1000 sec.
Pair of Northern Shovelers swimming near a Mallard. A pair of Wood Ducks are in the distance.
Northern Shoveler, North Holiday Park, Benbrook, TX, May 28, 2022
EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-3200; f/10; 1/2000 sec.
A few dozen Northern Shovelers resting on near the edge of a small lake.
Northern Shoveler McGee Lake Amarillo TX October 19 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/11; 1/800 sec.
A mass of ducks, mostly Northern Shovelers, resting on a sand bar near the shore of a small lake.
Ducks en masse on sand bar, McGee Lake Amarillo TX October 19 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-200; f/8; 1/50 sec.
Dozens of ducks, mostly Northern Shovelers, taking off from a small lake.
Ducks en masse, McGee Lake Amarillo TX October 19 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-320; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Two Northern Shovelers flying against a dusky sky.
Northern Shoveler, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 9, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-200; f/11; 1/800 sec. -0.7 exposure bias.
Seven Northern Shovelers flying overhead.
Northern Shoveler, Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM, November 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/11; 1/1000 sec.
Northern Shoveler swimming near some grasses.
Northern Shoveler, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM, November 11, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/10; 1/400 sec.
Northern Shoveler swimming on a pond with its reflection in the low ripples of water.
Northern Shoveler, Colleyville Nature Center, Colleyville, TX, December 11, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-12,800; f/10; 1/1000 sec.
Two Northern Shovelers swimming in in a pond.
Northern Shoveler, Colleyville Nature Center, Colleyville, TX, December 17, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-10,000; f/11; 1/640 sec.
Northern Shoveler swimming in a pond.
Northern Shoveler, Colleyville Nature Center, Colleyville, TX, December 17, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/11; 1/640 sec.
Northern Shoveler swimming on the lake.
Northern Shoveler, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, January 1, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-500; f/11; 1/400 sec.
Three Northern Shovelers standing in the shallow water near the shore. A large Spiny Soft-shell Turtle is nearby on the shore.
Northern Shoveler, Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, San Antonio, TX May 12, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/10; 1/640 sec. -0.7 exposure bias.
Four female Northern Shovelers flying in a tight formation just above the water.
Northern Shoveler, Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX, September 2, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-320; f/11; 1/800 sec. -1 exposure bias.
Female Northern Shoveler swimming nearby.
Northern Shoveler, Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX, December 26, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/10; 1/500 sec.
A male and female Norther Shoveler flying nearby.
Northern Shoveler, Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX, December 26, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-250; f/10; 1/500 sec.
Northern Shoveler, Oak Point Park, Plano, TX, January 21, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Northern Shoveler swimming in a small pond.
Northern Shoveler, Bufalara Lavorazione, Lazio, Italy, October 5 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-500; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Two Northern Shovelers swimming in the water.
Northern Shoveler, Lago di Fogliano, Lazio, Italy, October 5 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/11; 1/800 sec.