A party of four ducks visited the pond briefly tonight, but JF-S is wondering what are they?
Click on the photo to enlarge.
Seen on the pond this evening
Wednesday August 15, 2012 by Jane B
3 Responses
Leave a reply to J Bennett Cancel reply
Contact the blog team
Latest Comments
-
-
-
You can follow @parwichblog on Twitter, and you can also "like" us on Facebook.
-
Recent Posts
PARWICH.ORG 
“Tourists”.
A Female Mandarin Duck or Aix galericulata
Overview from the RSPB
The male has the most elaborate and ornate plumage with distinctive long orange feathers on the side of the face, orange ‘sails’ on the back, and pale orange flanks. The female is dull by comparison with a grey head and white stripe behind the eye, brown back and mottled flanks. They were introduced to the UK from China and have become established following escapes from captivity.
Main population is in south, central and eastern England, but small numbers occur in Wales, Northern England and Scotland. Likes lakes with plenty of overhanging trees and bushes.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/mandarin/
“Possibly a rare sighting in the East Midlands.”
Many thanks Jane. I came to the same conclusion eventually. It is not a duck I have seen before,though I gather there are quite a few in the South. John F-S.