According to NRK Nordland, the Mandarin duck is an alien species in Norway. Morten Andre Mella, a nature photographer, found the duck after a targeted search, as reported by NRK Nordland. The duck was last seen in Bodø two years ago, Mella told the broadcaster.
The Mandarin duck is originally a resident bird in China that is quite threatened. It has been brought to Europe via parks and private collections. In Norway, the Mandarin duck rarely displaces other species and seldom mates with other ducks, according to reports.
It's not easy to find it.
Mandarin ducks are often quite tame, allowing people to see them well and take good pictures. They are not completely unusual to see in April and May, as there is a huge migration of birds and ducks from south to north, and Mandarin ducks join the migration.
Martin Eggen, nature conservation advisor at Birdlife Norway, confirmed that one must be in the right place at the right time to see the Mandarin duck, according to NRK Nordland. Mella met several other people who were also looking for the Mandarin duck after reading about it in the newspaper.
Then I couldn't find it because it moves. Then I read in the newspaper that it had appeared again, so I took a chance that I could find it.
Exactly where in Bodø the duck was spotted has not been specified. It is unclear how many Mandarin ducks are currently in Norway or how long this particular duck will stay in the area. The specific date of Mella's sighting has not been reported, and there are no official records of Mandarin duck sightings in Norway this year beyond this incident.
So there it was. Then it was just to start snapping away.
It warms the heart of an ornithologist when there is so much bird joy.
There is a big commotion, there are crowds of people standing with mobile phones. It becomes a focal point.
All the ducks we have in Norwegian nature are very beautiful, especially the males are spectacular in their own way. So it is an eternal beauty contest, but the Mandarin duck perhaps has that little extra that makes people open their eyes wide.
You can say what you want, but it's not an everyday occurrence, to put it mildly.
It's great to stand there ready with the camera and do what you came to do. It's not often you are so lucky in nature photography. Often nothing shows up. It's special because it's so urban and close to town. That people can be there and experience it all together is absolutely incredible.