I'm looking forward to mounting my 1st shoveler.Any special notes?They're not thought of much around here,but they are a gorgeous duck.Will they be any harder on the wire wheel?What is the trick to a sleeping pose?Or just getting the head all the way around?As usual thanks for your advice. Still have to think about that spin cycle thing.
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I have always liked them - who cares what anybody else thinks!
They can be thin-skinned but other than that they don't have any particular problems. I think their feathers have a nice consistency - meaning that they will lay smoothly without a huge fight - provided that they are clean, of course.
How to do a sleeping pose is difficult to explain in words, but I'll give it a shot. You will have 2 "S" curves going on at the same time. The primary S curve originates at the skull and goes to the breast where it will appear to attach low on the body because the neck settles down into the wishbone. Start by getting that curve correct.
Once that is done you should have a very relaxed looking spoonbill with his beak pointed straight ahead. Now, say he is going to tuck his beak under his left side scapulars ... start by bending the lowest part of the neck (right against the wishbone) very slightly to the left. Gradually work his beak around until it points at the back edge of his left side pocket, all the while making sure you don't lose the "S' in his neck. Make sure you keep his head level.
When you look at him from the front there should be an "S" curve visible and also from the top.
This is as hard to explain as I feared. Something that will really help is to thaw out a duck and pose it like you want. Analyze how everything is positioned and then receate what you see. It will be pretty much the same on all ducks, so if you don't have a spare shoveler don't worry.
I hope this makes sense.
Have fun with Cyrano!
Nancy M.
If you can get past the ugly bill they are a great looking mount.