Pintail

I've only seen and photographed a pintail once before, it was well in the distance. It was lovely to get quite close to this uncommon and attractive dabbling duck today at Amwell Nature Reserve. Once I'd spotted him I hung around hoping that I might get him in flight or at least having a flap. No luck, he spent most of the time upended with his sharp tail in the air. I thought a female might turn up but I've read that they rarely breed here and are just winter visitors. I was interested to learn that they are sometimes separated into the genus Dafila and Sir Peter Scott gave this name to his daughter.