Latest backyard visitor

Was out doing the quick rounds after work, saw this guy land in the pond, and quietly ran back in to get the camera. Wow - beautiful and BIG!





I decided not to try and scare him/her just to catch the bird in flight. As I was coming back up on the deck I looked back and he WAS flying away, but the video just doesn't do him justice.

It seems like, once he noticed me, the defense reaction was to "look tall and skinny, like a cattail!" which is what that third picture is all about.