Lurking on the far bank

Another quick foray out this morning before the rain clouds appeared from over the horizon took me to my local river (more of a rife really). This splendid male Shoveler was lurking a little way upstream of me on the far bank. He only came out from cover when I hid behind the reeds. Splendid bill on him and aptly named.

The northern shoveler, known simply in Britain as the shoveler, is a common and widespread duck. It breeds in northern areas of Europe and Asia and across most of North America, wintering in southern Europe, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Central, and northern South America.