RARE VISITOR ... the Mandarin duck in South Marine Park, South Shields.
TWITCHERS in South Tyneside are going quackers to meet a visitor from afar.
Experts believe it’s the first time that a Mandarin duck has visited the lake in South Marine Park, South Shields.
The brightly-coloured bird, which is native to East Asia, was first spotted in the borough on April 10.
Gazette chief photographer Tim Richardson captured the male having a splash yesterday.
He said: “It’s a beautiful bird, very colourful. It appears to be just by itself, and it was first recorded three weeks ago.
“I’ve never seen a Mandarin on the Marine Park’s lake before.”
The birds were first introduced to Britain about 260 years ago.
As a direct result of birds escaping from captivity, and some others being deliberately released back into the wild, small feral populations became established in south-east England during the early part of the 20th century.
They have spread to other parts of the country since, and it’s estimated there are 1,000 pairs in total.
The bird was first spotted in South Marine Park by Michael Mudditt, who is originally from the borough but now lives in America.
He sent in this snap to the Gazette after a recent visit to see his mum in Jarrow.
He said: “When I’m here, I come down to South Marine Park early every morning to see what I can take photos of and to breathe the air of my childhood.”
Bird-lover Dougie Holden, whose eagle eyes secured him international acclaim after he spotted a rare eastern crowned warbler in Trow Quarry, South Shields, in October 2009, is delighted with the new arrival.
Mr Holden from Harton, South Shields, said: “The birds occasionally appear in South Tyneside. A very handsome drake spent a couple of weeks near Primrose nature reserve in Jarrow during May of last year, and was enjoyed by many local birdwatchers.
“As far as I’m aware, the first sighting of this bird on Marine Park was made during the second week in April.
“It has been ‘showing well’ on a regular basis since.
“Mandarins are quite uncommon in this area, so it’s best to make the most of these beautiful birds whenever possible, as it may be a while before the next one turns up.”
