Bird project 8 - Pintail

 8/101.
Anas acuta Pintail

Location: Marton Mere, Blackpool.
Conditions: Strong, low sunshine towards sunset; mild, light breeze.
Photograph quality: 2.

Comments: On my fourth trip to try and see the pintails recently reported on the mere, I finally succeeded. I had nearly given up, but at last, as the sun shone strongly not long before sinking below the trees, I saw this male. It was considerably larger than the teal around it, around 200m away, near the north shore hide. Fortunately, though it remained distant, it didn't move very much, just turning and drifting, so I was able to use Live View to focus (using stacked extenders means only manual focus was available), and take many shots. I suspect the bird to the right, below, is a female of the same species, but since this is the only shot I got of it, and its face is hidden, I can't be certain.