Bird lovers were in for a treat when a rare Mandarin duck was spotted in southern Ohio.
The photographer, Randy Tucker, captured the bird in Claremont Pond on December 6.
“Spent my morning with a very rare visitor. He came right over to me as I was sitting on the bank and climbed right up on a rock. I got several good looks at this guy,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Tucker told FOX TV that he picked up wildlife photography about five years ago. He said he was surprised to see the duck still there as the animal was spotted by bird lovers the day before.
“I knew this duck was going to get a lot of attention as we just don't see them around here very often,” Tucker said.
“Even if it's not a wild duck it's still a very beautiful duck and a great subject for photography to share with others and to see in person,” he explained.
The little waterbird is commonly found in China, Japan, Korea and parts of Russia, per Wildlifetrusts.org. Male mandarins can be identified by their bright colors as they have “elaborate plumage with orange plumes on their cheeks, orange “sails” on their back, and pale orange sides."
Females are more dull in comparison with grey heads, brown backs, and white eyestripe.
Wildlife photographers have been drawn to the pond to get a glimpse of the bird after the township filled it with five mating pairs of male and female Mandarin ducks and swans in the spring of 2019, according to The Enquirer.
The township provides a special blend of food for the ducks and the swans.
Tucker said he was also lucky enough to come across a Mute Swan, who he said “came over and stuck its face in front of my lens.”
“It pays off to just sit and wait,” he explained.
Back in 2018, photographer Gus Keri spotted the striking bird in a pond in New York’s Central Park.
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