While watching the Snow Geese at the Pea Island NWR, a whole flock of Pintail Ducks flew in and started foraging in the mud flats right in front of me!
Once again, I was captivated by the moment as these normally shy ducks paid little attention to the group as we stood on the shore taking photos 🙂

Adorned in that sharp plumage of grey, chocolate brown, black and white, Northern Pintails are arguably one of the most elegant species of duck found in the United States.
Though only the drakes sport their namesake pin shaped tail, the hens are quite lovely too dressed in a warm buff brown plumage with an intricate black scalloped pattern on their sides.

Like other dabbling ducks, Northern Pintails can be found looking for a meal in fresh and brackish water wetland areas like marshes, ponds, rivers, lakes, and sheltered estuaries.
They may also be spotted in the open waters of bays and lakes far away from vegetated shorelines which is a bit unusual.
Often seen tipping upside down underwater, they feed primarily on aquatic plants, seeds, and grass but will eat small aquatic animals, and insects when available.

The Northern Pintail is a wintertime resident of North Carolina and may be seen in varying numbers in our eastern coastal counties from late August to early April.
In a few months they’ll be off to migrate north to their summer breeding grounds in Alaska, Canada and the Great Plains.
Get out there and enjoy them while you can!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds