Very Pretty Duck

I have no idea what this is, perhaps my learned friend Pamela will know. I took the photo this afternoon on Llangorse Lake near Brecon. I wasn't very happy with the photos I took but I did like this one.

[Sue Moore]

What a beauty!

[Sue Cooper]

@yogisue You can't identify it then?

[Beryl Lloyd]

Super A fav -- A gentle looking duck with fab shadows and ripples on the water

[Rita]

a smart chappy

[Helen]

This is great..... the reflection is so clear

[Jane Morley]

Love the colours in this, and the reflection is so clear!

[virtualbrownie]

Lovely detail and colours

[Pamela Clarke]

I'm onto the case! Look like a (very pretty) hybrid but will confirm!

[xbm]

Looks like a small goose to me.

[Claire]

Whatever it is it is very sweet

[Sue Cooper]

@beryl @barneyone @chimfa @virtualbrownie @claireuk Thank you all for your comments but no-one seems to know what kind of duck it is.

[Sue Cooper]

@pamelaclarke I hope you come up with something. It really is very pretty.

[Sue Cooper]

@g3xbm It does look a bit like a goose but it was small, even small for a duck. Are there any geese that small?

[Claire]

@thresheg Graham, you are pretty good with our feathered friends any idea's what this is?

[xbm]

Will check my bird books tomorrow Sue.

[Pamela Clarke]

@susiemc Sorry its taken so long to get it. Its a male Mandarin duck in eclipse plumage - (particularly male ducks moult their bright flight feathers late summer to be replaced by dowdy ones - hence you think the males have disappeared - by October they return to their full glory)

[Sue Cooper]

@g3xbm Rog - see what Pamela found out about the duck. I would never have guessed.

[xbm]

Pamela probably knows best. I would never have got this. The bill looks more goose like but neck is short. Would not have guessed a manderin.

[xbm]

www.feathersite.com/Poultry/NDG/Ducks/Mand/BRKMandarin.html

[xbm]

Previous message truncated. Ends /Mand/BRKMandarin.html

[xbm]

Mandarin not Manderin. Typing too fast.

[Craig]

A very pretty bird, we don't see up here! I would have thought it was a female though,