Mandarin Duck with Fish at the Lake Mouse Pad

I watched this mandarin duck sip raindrops off of a leaf, dig up some seaweed, and then finally, emerged with a yummy minnow. They aren't native to my region, but this one might have been a pet or migrated from another area. He's been spotted at various lakeside spots over the spring, and I finally saw him in a nearby park. A mandarin duck is an exotic looking perching duck with amazing plumage. The male drakes have purples, greens, and oranges in its plumage, whle the females look a bit like a wood duck hen. The drake also has amazing feathers along its neck, and interesting wings that look almost like fins. Although native to the Far East, some mandarin ducks have made their way westward, and frequent parks and lakes. This little one was actually following me around the shore of a lake, although I wasn't feeding him. It was amazing to see these amazing and unique ducks up close. This image is based on an original photo with watarcolor effects applied.