It’s not unusual for me to go for a Sunday morning walk down the woods which means I’ve been there a lot over the years and although people have told me that mandarin ducks are about I’ve never seen them so you can imagine my delight when finally I spotted them and managed to get a few pictures
Now although I had my 75-300mm lens with me the ducks where quite far away, I sat there for a while but they just wouldn’t come any closer so the photos are not as good as I would like but I’ll definitely be back for more
In this picture you can see a female following the male bird, unlike the jackdaws in a previous post the Mandarin duck are not monogamous and find a new mate each season and unlike most ducks they nest quite high in trees
mandarin ducks are considered by many as the most Beautiful duck in the world and in China and Japan where they are from are thought to be a symbol fertility and are given to the bride on her wedding day
They where introduced to Britain over 100 years ago and are not thought to be invasive
Well I hope you have enjoyed the pictures, thanks mike