Mandarin ducks on the liffey along Strawberry Beds?

bmay529 · 29-09-2015 8:36am #1

I saw a group of about 3 of what I think look like Mandarin Ducks on the liffey along Strawberry Beds last week. Fabulous colourful plumage and one perched on a tree branch overlooking the river. I didn't think much of it at the time other than wanting to identify what they were but then reading about them see they are an introduced breed and not that common.

OpenYourEyes · 29-09-2015 9:59am

They're becoming more common around Dublin - they're also on the Dodder, and I think in Phoenix Park and possibly on the Tolka too! I don't think there are many outside Dublin, but as they continue to breed that could change.

Kamili · 30-09-2015 9:30am

here is a shot I got of them on the dodder a few years ago. they are beautiful creatures.

ciaran76 · 30-09-2015 9:32am

Seen 2 on a pond near the Tolka out in Blanchardstown last week.

bmay529 · 30-09-2015 8:42pm

There were three males and two females again today on the liffey at Strawberry beds along where the golf club is...

bmay529 · 05-10-2017 2:20pm

Two male mandarin ducks back on the liffey for the past week along strawberry beds. They are in the same area I saw them two years ago but had not seen them since

Kamili · 05-10-2017 2:40pm

Might be good to log your sighting at http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=BasicBirdSightingSearch

bmay529 · 05-10-2017 7:20pm

Kamili wrote: »

Might be good to log your sighting at http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=BasicBirdSightingSearch

I can see the list of sightings... but how do you report one... is it just sending an email?

Kamili · 05-10-2017 7:29pm

Yep, if you click on the contact us tab at the top there's a mail address to email your sighting to.

Apologies should have included that link already.

OpenYourEyes · 05-10-2017 9:32pm

I'd suggest the National Biodiversity Data Centre might be a good/better place to log it, considering they're a non-native species - it's interesting to keep track of their spread as much as possible!

Scotty # · 06-10-2017 12:06pm

As non natives, shouldn't they be removed?

I know they're beautiful and might not have any (significant) negative impact on native species but shouldn't all non native specimens be removed regardless?

OpenYourEyes · 06-10-2017 4:50pm

Scotty # wrote: »

As non natives, shouldn't they be removed?

I know they're beautiful and might not have any (significant) negative impact on native species but shouldn't all non native specimens be removed regardless?

There's varying opinions on that. There are very very few conservationists who would say that non-native species should not be removed, almost all would say those that do damage or compete with native species should be removed, and some would take it further and say anything non-native should be removed whether it's proven/suspected to have a negative impact on native species or not.

Of course the thing is, it's easiest and cheapest to remove a species early on before it gets a foothold in a country - but it mightn't be clear at that stage what level of impact it's going to have. So, do you remove it early on just in case, or do you wait to see if it will have some sort of impact at which point it's much more difficult and expensive to remove?

mattser · 06-10-2017 4:57pm

Just looked at the pictures above. If you were asked to draw the prettiest duck you could imagine, that'd be them.

GrumpyMe · 08-10-2017 6:29pm

mattser wrote: »

Just looked at the pictures above. If you were asked to draw the prettiest duck you could imagine, that'd be them.

Flashy, yes but close up a male mallard has plenty of pizzazz and could give them a run for their money...
http://www.misucell.com/WDF-434526.html

fiacha · 09-10-2017 9:49am

I met a father and son (son was late 20's) in the Phoenix Park a few years back. We were talking about the Dabchicks in one of the ponds when I mentioned the American wood duck that was also present. They told me about their duck collection at home, and how they had been releasing their "exotic" ducks around Dublin for years. They were very proud of how well their ducks were doing in the Park.

I reported it to the Park rangers , but never heard anything more about it. At the time, I didn't know of anyone better to report it to. I suspect many of the exotics showing all over Dublin are the result of these guys and people with similar interests.

I love seeing foreign species that arrive on the wind, but this kind of carry on annoys me.

Mandarin ducks on the liffey along Strawberry Beds?

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