Mandarin Ducks in Devon (1 Viewer)

[pduxon]

I was sitting noshing a sarnie in the National Trust team room at Saltram House (nr Plymouth) recently. I had half an eye on the small duck pond when I spyed a gorgeous male Mandarin Duck. There were 3 pairs and one other that had a mallard coloured head(i got one very brief glance - and no it wasn't a Mallard!!).

The NT people said that they don't belong to the estate and come and go.

Anyone got any details. I've only seen eclipse males before. They are gorgeous litle critters.

 

[Darrell Clegg]

Pete,

There is a small - but growing wild population of Mandarin at Plymbridge woods - about 1 mile upstream from Saltram. I've counted up to 30 birds there at any one time, and this is undoubtedly where the Saltram birds come from.

Darrell

 

[Andrew]

That is uncanny, I have just seen a Mandarin Duck (young) for the first time in Devon and someone posts this thread title!!! I went to Hembury Woods on the way back from Berry Head and a young Mandarin flew past after being flushed by a dog further upstream. In flight they appear a lot bigger than you would expect.

 

[Andrew]

Darrell, makes up for not seeing them at that small pond!

 

[jayhunter]

I think the Mandarin is a really pretty looking duck, my mate up here in Cheshire breeds them and has them free ranging on his ponds. They don't seem to want to leave, but maybe he feeds and looks after them too well, he says he lost a few young this year to raptors, he said it was a buzzard living in his copse, he has a small copse of a couple of acres.

 

[leighjauncey]

Personally I would say that the Plym Bridge population has come from the Saltram one which has been there for years and almost certainly started as a captive one - I have seen upwards of 25 individuals on the pond by the cafe. I teach at a school just across the Plym and have visited Saltram for many years with A level Biology students - it's a lovely place for a nature walk!

 

[Darrell Clegg]

Glad you finally got to see one Andrew!

Leigh - Do you teach at Lipson? - possibly one of the best schools for birds in the country!! I've seen Yellow-browed and Icterine Warbler there, as well as Ross's Gull and of course the regular Ring-billed (until he stopped coming!!)

Darrell

 

[Bluetail]

Personally I would say that the Plym Bridge population has come from the Saltram one which has been there for years and almost certainly started as a captive one - I have seen upwards of 25 individuals on the pond by the cafe. I teach at a school just across the Plym and have visited Saltram for many years with A level Biology students - it's a lovely place for a nature walk!

That's right. According to the Tetrad Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Devon "The Plym Bridge birds originated from the Saltram colection of Mr S. N. S. Pearce, who obtained two pinioned pairs in 1974, which became free-flying after their next moult. This was deliberate on the part of Mr Pearce because it afforded the ducks some protection from persistent vandalism and attempted theft."

There is now a healthy feral population (as noted by Darrell) and they've spread out somewhat with birds noted as far away as Yarner Wood near Budleigh Salterton. IMO they're a good deal more tickable than the pair of Tufted Duck that occasionally find their way down the hill to the Plym Estuary!

Jason

 

[Andrew]

. . . far away as Yarner Wood near Budleigh Salterton. . . .

Jason, when did Yarner Wood move near to Bud Salt? 3

 

[Bluetail]

!

Jason, when did Yarner Wood move near to Bud Salt? 3

A senior moment, I'm afraid! I've always been liable to confuse Budleigh Salterton and Bovey Tracey. One of these days I'll get them sorted. :h?:

Jason

 

[Andrew]

Bovey Tracey is a place I have yet to bird, would like to visit Bovey Heath. Odd as it is only yards from Stover where I go a lot.

 

[Bluetail]

Yarner Wood is well worth it in late April - early June when the Pied Flys, Wood Warblers and Redstarts are showing (though the last can take some finding). It's also noted for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, though I've never managed to nail them down myself - they're somewhere near the car park, I think. Plus there's the usual range of other woodland stuff.

The open area above the wood used to have good stuff too, but I've not been there since the fire.

Jason

 

[Bluetail]

I guess Bovey Heath is the place also known as Chudleigh Knighton Heath? I haven't been there for years, but I used to pay a visit every May because there used to be a small colony of Nightingales there - but they died out maybe ten years ago. The thicker bushes used to be reliable for Garden Warbler and probably still are. There are a few Nightjars too, though there are better sites for them IMO.

Jason

 

[Andrew]

I do like Yarner Wood myself Jason. Although I have not yet scored Pied Flycatcher there. Dunsford Woods provides them for me!!! (The cream teas at Dunsford are the real draw!) My birding companion has heard them at Yarner but we have failed to see them.

Bovey Heath could be Chudleigh Knighton Heath.

 

[leighjauncey]

Darrell

Sorry about the delay in answering your question - I kind of 'lost the thread' so to speak - yes I do teach at Lipson - years ago I started keeping records of the birds here but what with one thing and another they got lost along with the enthusiasm to do them. However, I have almost as many memorable birding experiences here as I have 17 years of educational ones!

On the Yarner question - funnily enough I've taken 6th form groups there in the spring as well and have always managed to see the Pied Flycatchers although they seemed to depart very early this year.

Leigh

 

[Charlie M]

Sorry, don't know too much about the geography of Devon, but thought I'd mention how incredibly wary wild Mandarin are - in Korea anyway. They form nice size locks but are impossible to approach without a huge amount of care. None of the populations building up in the UK seem to be so wary - not exactly approachable in a "duck-pond" kind of way, but not so jumpy you never see them properly. Makes you realise just how much behaviour that we take as "normal" is in fact modified by us lot (humans, not BF members)

 

[Charlie M]

"locks"? Flocks of course...