Pheasant, (Phasianus colchicus)

A large, long-tailed gamebird. Males have rich chestnut, golden-brown and black markings on body and tail, with a dark green head and red face wattling. Females are mottled with paler brown and black. They were introduced to the UK long ago and more recent introductions have brought in a variety of races and breeds for sport shooting.

Now they can be found across most of the UK, apart from the far north and west of Scotland. Usually seen in the open countryside near woodland edges, copses and hedgerows.

These images of this very colouful bird was taken near the Derwent Reservoir in County Durham, I saw the bird and crept close to a stone wall as the bird edged closer to me on the other side of the wall totally unaware of me. as the bird turned its head the colours changed as the light reflected off its feathers, the head went through various stages from blue to green and every tone in between.