Northern Pintail ducks (Anas acuta) are remarkably illusive—they never seem to come close to the shore and most often are partially hidden by vegetation. This past weekend at Huntley Meadows Park, I was able to capture some of the beautiful details of this male pintail that was out in open, albeit at a pretty good distance. I think he was initially just waking up and stretching out his long, elegant neck before settling into a more “normal” pose.
It certainly was handy to have a long telephoto zoom lens.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
It’s always a treat to observe the elegant pintail, and your photos give a pleasant, long look, Mike.
You have patience beyond Job!
Patience and persistence are hugely important in getting many of the shots that I manage to capture. “Beyond Job?”–I am not quite sure that I am that patient. 🙂