If there were any Redwings around they'd look lovely in this sunshine - also look great in photos.
There weren't.
Or Fieldfares.
So whilst mum gets an estimated flock of around 400 Redwings flying over our house in Yorkshire, I still haven't seen a single one!
Lots and lots of Mistle Thrush around though.
Anyway, I walked over to the lake (the one near Farmleigh, not the near the main entrance), people have been reporting Mandarin Ducks during the last few weeks.
The first time I saw a Mandarin Duck I was on a boat on the River Spree in Berlin and I saw one standing on a ledge.
They're amazing looking birds, but even so, they don't really do it for me.
I suppose it's that whole notion that they're not 'wild' and they're probably escapees from a private collection.
I'm not sure what the background is on these.
>>EDIT>> Comment left by Niall Keogh explains these are indeed all being released from collections and will prob die in next few months (Mandarin here might survive and breed next season)
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| Male Mandarin Duck, Phoenix Park, Dublin |
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| Male Mandarin Duck, Phoenix Park, Dublin |
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| Female Mandarin Duck, Phoenix Park, Dublin |
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| Leucistic male Mandarin Duck on left, Phoenix Park. |
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| Not sure what this is? <<EDIT>> Niall Keogh says this is a female Ringed Teal. |
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| Thanks to Niall Keogh for providing this image of male and female Ringed Teal taken in Buenes Aires, Argentina where Ringed Teal are usually found ©Santiago Meligeni Lozano |
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| Fright of my life when this deer raised its head from behind the tree stump. It's mating season for the deer in the park and the males are locking horns with each other like there's no tomorrow, whilst the female deer look on. They might want to take a look at this link before they start doing themselves any real damage half of females put off by rutting stags |
By 6pm, the light was dying and I was done, so I headed home where my dinner was waiting for me!
Some days are seriously better than others.
