Mandarin Duck spotted in Leith

This beautiful Mandarin Duck was spotted below Great Junction Street Bridge in Leith. Certainly an exotic find either a long way from home (China/Japan) or more likely to be part of a feral population which moves around central scotland. Thank you to local man Steve Morrisonfor these great photos

Comments

[Mike]

Great looking bird, thanks to Steve for taking the time to send in this photo.

[Rachel Holmes]

I saw a male and female goosander duck at the Dean Village footbridge this morning (4/1/10). Diving for fish.

[Martn]

Have only recently moved in to Warriston but the Canonmills Bridge over the river is a great spot for sightings...often a better and longer close up than in more rural sites. So far I have seen the resident heron...his mates the mallards and their frequent visitor, the waterhen. Yesterday saw a cormorant taking off and only just clearing the heron. Last week...pochards and a mink. Today I saw a wood pigeon swimming! I have seen them 'wash' in static water before but this one was settling on the water...splashing and floating before taking off and dropping back in again. As the pigeon drifted past the tiny island east of the bridge, a dipper was bobbing frantically on a branch.

[Rachel]

Ducks are getting frisky this week....just at Valentines day time! The old folklore is Valentines Day is the day birds mate.