Duck Soup

An old boy birder in the Bittern Hide pointed out a pintail to me. It was so far in the distance that it looked just like a mallard. I took a shot and then magnified it on the camera screen and could just discern its yellow flank patch and white throat.

I've never seen a pintail before and had in my head the image of a black and white duck. Just looked in my Birds Of Coast And Sea book and the pied long tailed sea duck is listed in there under pintail. 

I walked around Seventy Acres Lake to try to get a bit nearer to this duck that is an uncommon visitor to the Lee Valley Park. Not much closer. :( I'd love to get a better pic. He is very handsome with his chestnut head, long graceful neck and grey bill.

He is dabbling with mallards and they have been joined by the white Indian runner and its slutty duck (out of shot) mate. 

My title came into my head and I've been researching it, wondering why the Marx Brothers film was so called. Groucho Marx offered the following explanation for the movie's title: "Take two turkeys, one goose, four cabbages, but no duck, and mix them together. After one taste, you'll duck soup the rest of your life." There was a Laurel and Hardy Duck Soup film too. L&H aren't my thing but I did lol at the opening sequence when the maid is accidentally kicked up the bottom. :)