The last thing one would expect to see in Scotland (outside of a zoo) are Mandarin ducks. But Mandarin ducks we did see!
A couple of months ago, we were walking through Milton Woods (near Farr), along the grassy bank above the River Nairn, when Mr. C spotted some unusual waterfowl swimming below. Not sure what type of birds they were, he attempted to snap some photos. Unfortunately, they caught sight of him and were frightened and flew away. This photo was the best one he got.
It wasn’t until a bit later when I was looking through our photos that I realized what we had seen. How fantastic! Mandarin ducks! In Scotland!
According to BBC Scotland, the birds were introduced to the UK from the Far East in the mid-eighteenth century. Over time, some have managed to escape captivity and have bred and established colonies. There are over 7,000 of these native East Asian species in Britain. Very few have made it all the way to Scotland, which makes what we saw even more special.
Mandarin ducks. In Scotland. Who knew?
What a treat!
Yes, Scotland never disappoints lol.
They are so unusual and colourful. We have a few nearby at Bolton abbey in the Yorkshire dales on the river wharfe. Lovely to see. X
They really are so gorgeous.
These are so beautiful – they look as though they’ve been created as a work of art. We were also lucky to find them, of all places, at a reservoir reasonably local to us which we walk around sometimes. It’s a real treat to come across them. 🙂
They really are so lovely. I still can’t believe we found them in such a random place. Feels like I won a prize or something! 😀
Amazing saw them today , two males and a female ,googled them as I thought unknown in scotland and your article came up .We are in Farr on holiday
Wow, how wonderful! Where were you when you saw them? They are such beautiful birds. We loved the time we spent in Farr. It was the perfect jumping off point for exploring further afield. Where are you staying?