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Mandarin Duck

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    #2
    Bagmagnet
    Registered Users Posts: 115 ✭✭Bagmagnet


    stupidusername wrote: »
    Some pictures I took in St Stephens Green

    Mandarin! superb (to the max)!


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    #3
    doctor evil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    What breed is that duck in the second last one? Very unusual looking. I hope it doesn't breed with our natives ducks. Would it be classed as feral or wild.


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    #4
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    doctor evil wrote: »
    What breed is that duck in the second last one? Very unusual looking. I hope it doesn't breed with our natives ducks. Would it be classed as feral or wild.
    The Mandarin duck is an introduced duck. It doesn't appear to hybridize with any native ducks. There is a selfsustaining population in Tollymore forest park (these birds are tickable). The birds from this forest generally spend the winter in Newcastle Co. Down.

    The bird is St. Stephen's green is likely an escape from a wildfowl collection. A couple are present in the North Blessington Basin Co. Wicklow. (not tickable)


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    #5
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,351 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    there's also some in the blessington basin in dublin city.

    tickable - from a birdwatching 'wild sighting' perspective?


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    #6
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    there's also some in the blessington basin in dublin city.

    tickable - from a birdwatching 'wild sighting' perspective?
    Sorry I meant Blassington basin Dublin. Here's the link:
    http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web/Display/sighting/27430/Mandarin_Duck.html

    If a bird is an escape from a wildfowl collection. It is not tickable (from a birdwatching perspective). If birds from a wildfowl collection set up a selfsustaining feral population then the birds would be deemed tickable.

    The re-introduced raptors would also be not tickable since they do not have self-sustaining populations as of yet. The Red Kite would be closest to being self-sustainable.


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    #7
    Mabel
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Mabel


    stupidusername wrote: »
    Some pictures I took in St Stephens Green

    I had no idea that Mandarins were present in Stephen's Green! Tickable or not I must check the place out... maybe get a pic or two!


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    #8
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    I copied/moved posts from picture thread to create new thread.


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    #9
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    There are many like this in Herbert Park. Even last spring one of this was always together with a female duck like the one that is in the picuture. It looked like a couple for me.


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    #10
    stupidusername
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,762 ✭✭✭✭stupidusername


    Have been back today. and guess what... there's four mandarins! They're gorgeous. I got a few pictures, some with all four in them, can't post them at the moment. Will do tomorrow night though. :D


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    #11
    stupidusername
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,762 ✭✭✭✭stupidusername


    Four mandarins together

    4mandarins.jpg

    Female mandarin

    femalel.jpg

    Male and female

    malefemale.jpg

    Single male
    mandarin.jpg

    Two up close
    mandarinsclose.jpg


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    #12
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    They are spectacular...evening rivalling some moths ;)
    Never seen one in the flesh.
    Thanks for sharing


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    #13
    stupidusername
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,762 ✭✭✭✭stupidusername


    Well next time you're in Dublin city, go to St Stephens green, go to the second half of the pond, look for where the swans hang out, and when there's lots of people feeding the ducks they should come out... :D

    Don't know how many females there are, didn't realise they were females until Bagmagnet told me this evening! I'll count them next week.


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    #14
    Mabel
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Mabel


    I wonder are these true escapes, colonisers from Tollymore or deliberate introductions to decorate the park? :D

    Either way, I'm heading down on Tuesday to see if I can see them. Hopefully they won't be difficult/have move off. Those males on the path beside the pond looks very happy surrounded by people!


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    #15
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    I am going to Herbert park later today. I will check out and report. There were loads like this last WE.


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    #16
    stupidusername
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,762 ✭✭✭✭stupidusername


    Supposedly they like to feed in the morning and evening, but I was there at around 1pm, and they were feeding. I suppose it's whenever their being fed a lot, as there were lots of people feeding them bread.

    I noticed also that everyone was feeding them bread, it's all they seem to get, so it really would be good that if you were going to feed them to feed them something a bit better for them :o


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    #17
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    Just back from Herbert and there was no Mandarin. I wonder if the ones in Stephen are the ones that were in Herbert before.

    In relation to feeding them, what should they get?


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    #18
    stupidusername
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,762 ✭✭✭✭stupidusername


    Here's a link to a page with some information. It says seeds, but they don't really look like seed eaters. I think whatever you choose to feed them, just maybe don't feed them too much anyway.


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    #19
    Mabel
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Mabel


    Took me a while to find them but they swam right over to me! Taken this morning in Stephen's Green! Thrilled to see them!

    IMG_6183.jpg

    IMG_6181.jpg

    IMG_6182.jpg

    IMG_6187.jpg


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    #20
    cscook
    Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭cscook


    I was surprised to spot a Mandarin drake and possibly a hen too on the Liffey this morning, near the Frank Sherwin bridge. I was hoping to see the heron, as it was a low tide, but was just as happy with this...


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    #21
    emo72
    Registered Users Posts: 6,187 ✭✭✭emo72


    nice photo. good to see the river looking so well!


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    #22
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    The river is a credit to Dublin - nice pic of the Mandarin.


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    #23
    sables2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 207 ✭✭sables2


    Super Image :eek:! A Mandarin....could it be here cause of the nuclear fall out... LOL :D


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    #24
    ThunderCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭ThunderCat


    There is a golf course I play every now and again and I see them every time I play there. There is at least one pair there but im pretty sure there are more. They seem to be so used to the golfers because at one point I was looking for my ball and they were on the bank beside me, only 7 or 8 feet away at most. Didnt bat an eyelid. The plumage on the males are spectacular. Fabulous creatures.


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    #25
    Mabel
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Mabel


    Has anyone seen them on Stephen's Green lately? I've been down the past two weekends and no sign of em! Perhaps they go into hiding this time of year?


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    #26
    stupidusername
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,762 ✭✭✭✭stupidusername


    Mabel wrote: »
    Has anyone seen them on Stephen's Green lately? I've been down the past two weekends and no sign of em! Perhaps they go into hiding this time of year?

    I haven't been in a week or so. If you want to see some mandarins there's always some in the blessington st basin.google it.not too far away for you hopefully :)


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    #27
    Mabel
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Mabel


    Cheers stupidusername! I don't normally relish introductions but I'm happy they seem to be establishing themselves in Dub!


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    #28
    cscook
    Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭cscook


    Mabel wrote: »
    Has anyone seen them on Stephen's Green lately? I've been down the past two weekends and no sign of em! Perhaps they go into hiding this time of year?
    I've had a good look the last couple of times I've been in the Green, and I certainly haven't seen them.


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    #29
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    I saw them on Grand Canal this WE. They seem to be going from Green to Herbert to Grand Canal, etc.


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