Grey Day - Grey Gadwall

It was beautifully sunny while I was doing admin this morning but by the time I went for a walk at Amwell Nature Reserve after lunch it was grey, cold and trying to rain. I decided to sit in the huge White Hide which I had to myself. There wasn't much to see and the light was poor. This male gadwall in flight is the best I could do.

Gadwalls are dabbling ducks closely related to wigeons. From a distance they look grey and boring but close up they have an understated elegance with exquisitely fine barring and speckling.

I've included a poor young moorhen with a broken leg in extras. :( Thank Goodness it can fly.