Hello Tweeters,
We had a Mandarine Duck on our Christmas Birdcount here in Tacoma on 12-18
on Titlow Beach. I took lot's of photos of this bird and i am sure it is an
escapade from some ones collection. It is so pretty to see something so
bright looking in our gray days here in the Northwest.

Ruth Sullivan
Tacoma
godwit at worldnet.att.net

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> From: Bill Smith <birdman at techline.com>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Mandarin Ducks
> Date: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 12:14 PM
>
> Tweets,
>
> The state of Washington alone has over 40 members of the American
> Pheasant and Waterfowl Society, a number of whom breed Mandarin Ducks
(and
> many other waterfowl species). Some breeders allow their birds to nest
> under more-or-less natural conditions. In such cases, unless they
capture
> and pinion the ducklings in a timely fashion, the immatures could fly
away
> and grow up to become essentially wild birds. Breeders also may allow
> their adults to remain full-winged and to remain outdoors under netting,
> which may or may not be secure.
>
> Mandarins are common enough in private captivity that it's almost
> inevitable that some may get away and be seen in the wild.
>
> One of the largest private aviaries in this region has an informative
> website:
>
> http://www.greatnorthern.net/~dye/farm.html
>
> I don't mean to suggest, however, that these folks may be the source of
the
> Mandarins (or any other wildfowl) being seen out there.
>
> Cheers,
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> P W (Bill) Smith
> Grays Harbor, Washington USA
> birdman at techline.com