This will be the fourth fall-winter season that a male Mandarin Duck
and one or more female mandarins have joined the mallards in the
cracked-corn chow line at the pond out our kitchen window. They are here
during the day, but spend their nights somewhere else.

The last date that we saw them in Spring 1998 was May 9. Where do they
go for the summer nesting season? We postulate that they go north into
Canada for nesting. It does appear that they are wild Mandarins and do not
come from a managed wildlife farm. They have no leg bands. The male
Mandarin is in his full, gaudy breeding plumage, and appears as feisty as
ever against all of the wild mallards, some of whom are still in eclipse.
There are three other Mandarins that associate with the male, that arrived
two weeks before he did. Two appear to be females, but the third has
vertical black-and-white stripes on the flanks, as well as greenish spots
on the back and a hint of red on the bill. Could this be an immature or
juvenile male? Is this group a family of male, female and two offspring?

There is some evidence for wild Mandarins in SW British Columbia, and
perhaps they are speading southward. To quote from Birds of British
Columbia, Vol. 1, copyright 1990 by Royal British Columbia Museum, by
Campbell, Dawe, McTaggart-Cowan, Cooper, Kaiser and McNall, pages 390-91:

"There have been several unsucsessful attempts to introduce this
species as free-flying birds to southern coastal areas. Only two
introductions merit discussion.
"In the late 1940s, at least six birds were released in Beacon Hill
Park in Victoria. The birds survived until the late 1950s and were
recorded on several annual Christmas Bird Counts (Clay 1950, 1957a;
Guignet 1952b). None have been introduced since.
"Beginning in September 1983, up to twelve free-flying Mandarin Ducks
have been reported in Stanley Park, Vancouver, and were listed on
Christmas Bird Counts beginning in 1985 (Weber, W.C. and Kragh 1986,
1987). There have also been recent winter sightings from other localities
near Vancouver such as Burnaby Lake, Richmond and Tilbury Island. These
birds disappear every summer and may be nesting somewhere nearby, but
there are no positive breeding records, and the species cannot yet be
considered established. (W.C. Weber personal comments)."

Where do our visiting fall-winter Mandarins nest? Do any other birders
ever see Mandarins in the wild?

Bill and Erin Woods Woods Tree Farm Redmond, WA U.S.A.
<wwwbike at halcyon.com>