Okay, so it's a duck. A female duck.
Quite a smart, attractive duck.
I have tried quite hard to get a positive ID for this bird, but have failed.
It resembles a female Gadwall, but I am not 100% convinced that that is what it is.
She is rather lovely whatever she is - I looked up Gadwall. Very similar but there seems to be a patch of white missing towards its tail feathers. Is that what causes the doubt?
@helenhall Thank you Helen, there is a tiny hint of white on the feathers, but the beak's pattern and colouring looks wrong, as does the colour of the legs and feet.
Hmm, only because I looked up info on the gadwall after seeing your picture I agree that the beak seems lighter and less orange than pictures of gadwalls and the feet also less orange. Could it be some hybrid? Or maybe just colouring changes that occur between seasons?
@gardencat Thank you, Joanne, maybe or possibly. Haha.
The problem is, it was at a Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust place.
So it could be from anywhere in the world. Although I have looked at ducks worldwide not just UK. I have been through all my other shots from that day, and can't find one of these swimming with a male, which would make ID ing it much easier.
This walked past me as I was sitting eating dinner, I saw the unusual beak colouring and thought oh this will be easy to ID.
So I didn't even look to see if there was an information board !!
The problem is, it was at a Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust place.
So it could be from anywhere in the world. Although I have looked at ducks worldwide not just UK. I have been through all my other shots from that day, and can't find one of these swimming with a male, which would make ID ing it much easier.
This walked past me as I was sitting eating dinner, I saw the unusual beak colouring and thought oh this will be easy to ID.
So I didn't even look to see if there was an information board !!