What is this?

Attachment 629
I was parked at a marina taking photos of a group of feeding (female) red-breased merganzers. As I was about to snap the photo above the sitting ducks started to take off for flight. My shutter speed was only set to 1/100 and I did not expect anything but a blur of the almost flying ducks. When I got to my computer that night I saw this shot and was not sure what I actually captured? There is a dock in the backround, there is a vertical piling on the right and a cooler sitting on the dock to the right. What is the thing near the center that looks like spokes on a wagon wheel? Is this the lens internals (blades) of my 400 f5.6 lens?

Sorry for all the newbie questions, just trying to learn. I will post some of the better photos in a few minutes of what I can actually identify from that day.

Were you shooting through a window? That looks like a reflection in a window of something behind you. It's not your lens internals.

Second that. Looks lke a window reflection. Been there, done that!

Car window was definitely down. I guess you guys are correct and it was a reflection off of something. There is a low lying bridge about 75 feet to the left of the focal point, maybe there is something that resembles a spoked wheel on it . Next time i'm in that area I'll have to get a better look.

Nitehawk I think you and/or your friend should start a new television series (B&W of course). I'll see what other wierd worthless shots I can contribute (hopefully not much)...

I've seen that phenomenon in the past, it usually has to do with the sensor mis-interpreting what it sees.