A Mandarin at Onuma this afternoon. This species is one of the 3 most attractive local ducks and they are all extremely shy. Smew ( a pair of which flew away literally as soon as I looked at them today) and Falcated Duck (small numbers of which will pass through soon) are the other two...............
Osprey high above on the river near my apartment for th last 2 days, the first Swallows of the year (yesterday), another osprey and the usual common stuff at Onuma today.....................otherwise not much around.
Still waiting for my first Swallow - any day now. I would love to see a male Smew again - so many years and no shows.
ReplyDeleteIt did snow the previous day though...............
Deleteso crisp and tailored looking, similar to a waxwing in that regard.
ReplyDeleteThanks Wilma, it is quite similar come to think of it..............
DeleteMandarin is truly marvelous. I think that the UK has the largest population now and I am hoping to renew my acquaintance with this species in July. Great shot of that handsome male. We have Wood Duck here, of course; very similar in some ways but not quite as spectacular. I saw three males the other night - not too shabby!
ReplyDeleteWe could do with some feral wood ducks here, they may not be as shy as the Mandarins..............
DeleteI saw my first mandarin properly recently. But as it lived in a park, it literally came up to people's feet looking for food.
ReplyDelete