Can you imagine what a big surprise it was when this lovely bird suddenly hove in to view today.  I was standing by one of the pools in Clennon Valley, Paignton after travelling down there to try and photograph a Yellow Browed Warbler. I did see the little bird but I didn’t manage a photograph which was a disappointment as you would imagine. But on the pools amongst the usual Mallard were several Tufted Duck which I stopped to photograph. It was getting a but dreary and dim as sunset approached but the Mallards were now joined by 3 Shovelers. Suddenly, there it was. It is hard to imagine a more exotic looking bird than a Drake Mandarin.  This species is now established as a breeding bird in the UK havving originally escaped from captivity.  I have seen them a few times here in Devon, notably on the River Dart at Buckfastleigh and oddly, also on theTiverton Canal.  Oh…. I would have been very happy with the Tufted Duck by the way.

The first two photos are an Adult Drake then the next is a Duck followed finally by a first winter Drake.