These guys weren’t part of my plan for the day!
I was going to show you Baden-Baden,
but the Mandarins got in my way!
Why are Mandarin Ducks swimming wild in Germany you may well wonder?
Although Mandarin Duck populations are dwindling in their native Russia and Asia, some escapees from captivity are breeding in the wild in Germany and The UK. I happened upon these guys today on the Oos River in Baden-Baden Germany.
So, it is cheers to you, and Happy Spring, from the gorgeous German Mandarins~
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GORGEOUS! Their colors are amazing. Beautiful photography!👏😁
Aww, thank you so much Vashti & cheers to you my friend~ 🦆
Incredible! Such great images and wow, what a subject to photograph!
They definitely created an unfair photographic advantage! 🦆
Ha!
Beautiful!
Danke schoen!
These are gorgeous, dear Cindy.
Blessings ~ Wendy
So happy you like them and blessings back 2UX2 Wendy! <3
So vibrant. Super colors!
Sometimes I sense that super beautiful birds know they stand out. Birds are actually being studied for having a sense of self. These beautiful creatures truly seemed to pose for the camera! 🦆
They do exude a lot of style!
It’s all in the feathers! 😉
Oh wow Cindy. Magnificent! 🙂
Mother nature doesn’t mess around! Quack~ 🦆
No she doesn’t! 🙂 🙂
These are so cute!
And they have the sweetest, softest little peeps, not quacks like other ducks! 🦆
They are breathtakingly beautiful! At first I wasn’t even sure if they were real!
I know. I had to give people google images of them so they would believe they weren’t photo shopped!
🙂
so beautiful colors
Amazing creatures aren’t they! 🦆
Prima donnas !!
Yes! Although male so we might want to call them primo uomos!
Thanks for the correction.
I had to look it up as I didn’t remember the term. Thank you for prompting me to do this & cheers to you~ 🦆
Omg, those are the prettiest ducks I have ever seen. 🙂
I agree with you and they had nice dispositions as well. They are generally thought to be the most beautiful ducks in the world!
Beautiful !
Vielen dank!
Oh Cindy, these pictures are incredible. Simply stunning! Wow … 🙂
They were the most amazing, unusual, and unexpected gift to come upon. And their behavior was so remarkable too, very calm, with really soft vocalizations that sounded like quiet peeps. Of course I fell hard for them. So happy you are moved by them too~
Nice !!!
Danke!
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
If you are ever looking for something to brighten your day then you really should follow Cindy Knoke who takes the most splending photographs. Today Mandarin Ducks in all their oriental splendour..Fashion designers take note.. this is how you put together a colour palette together for your next collection..#recommended
Mother Nature outdid herself with these little quackers. The patterns, textures and colors really are a design marvel. Many thanks and hugs & cheers to you dear Sally! <3
They are beautiful Cindy and you captured them stunningly. hugs ♥
Glorious colours 🙂
Mother Nature rocked the duck artistry on these boys!
Exquisite Cindy!! I can see how they were a beautiful distraction!! thanks!
Thanks much Rhonda! They were especially distracting because they were so unexpected~
And brilliant! We have mandarin ducks that sometimes nest at our park, but they are mostly green and browns. Hope you run into lots more beautiful distractions Cindy!! xo
What a colourful and cheerful encounter, Cindy! I prefer those lovely creatures to the streets of Baden Baden, (also VERY pretty.) <3 🙂 It pays to be prepared, always ready to shoot. 🙂
Yes, one must always travel with a camera or face the inevitable regret of a missed opportunity~
What fantastic birds and the colours are amazing and of course well photographed
Ahh, you are very kind and most appreciated~
Bonjour 🙂
Magnifiques oiseaux ! merci
Merci beaucoup mon ami! 🦆
😉
OMG! WHAT colors, art and beauty and your sharing < thank you Cindy dear its amazing. How creative and beautiful is nature
Nature provides us with beauty to feed our souls. Thank you Tanveer for knowing this and all the best to you my friend~
Thank you so much Cindy dear. Keep spreading beauty and colors of life 🙂 <3
Visa versa 2UX2! <3
OMG Cindy, they are spectacular, and they absolutely know it! Beautiful posers!
Yes! They absolutely do know it! So happy you can see this~ 🦆
I still think you should be photographing for National Geographic! I just saw the next post and came back to this one since I’m behind. These photos are just stunning! Deep envy here on your trip. 🙂 Enjoy.
You are so kind and so appreciated. You made my <3 smile. 🌷 cheers to you from Germany!
Generosity has nothing to do with it. I’ve seen a LOT of professional photos. I’ve got to find a way to go back one more time.
These are very striking ducks, and your photos of them are superb! Yes, you should be photographing for National Geographic!
Awww, humbled & honored! Thank you~ 💐
They are “beautifuler” than I remember 🙂
Seeing them is something you never forget and I can well imagine them getting beautifuler! 💐
These are some of the best photographs of Mandarins that I’ve ever seen – amazing color and your clarity/close-up shots are stunning.
Oh, I am honored and humbled. Thank you sincerely Mary! 💐
They are a work of art!
And we are both grateful to the Designer who created these beautiful creatures! 💐
Totally!
Wonderful shot, Cindy. I wonder if those ducks know how pretty they are. 🙂
I definitely think they do!!! <3
Wow! Those are more colorful than the tulips! — Oscar
They match the tulips and swim right by them! 💐
Incredible! Mother Nature at her best!
She is one rockin artist! 💐
Love these post-modern refugees. They have more color and sass than a river of mallards. Those flowers in your next post are a hammer-blow of beauty. Europe has its extravagances. We could learn from it!
Yes we could learn if we were willing! Love you calling The Mandarins refugees! They are, and like all refugees they contribute so much to the places they land! Hugs to you dear Brenda~ <3
If only we could see the value in each other. We would all be so much happier. At least you and I do. It’s a start. 🙂
“If only we could see the value in each other. We would all be so much happier.” This is brilliant Brenda and I would love to see you develop this into a post. Who could credibly disagree? And the impact of the thought is incredibly powerful. When we devalue others, we are really devaluing that which is also beautiful in ourselves, and everyone ends up worse for it. Who was it that said don’t evaluate yourself by your theology, evaluate yourself by your love in action.
Love to you Brenda~ <3
Great idea. I do think the simplest ideas have the most potential to change us.
Can I use a photo or two of these wonderful birds in a post? I’m trying to write a post, but none of my photos seem a good fit for the idea we discussed.
Oh I am so glad you are going with it and look forward to see what you come up with!
You can use any photo, anytime, without asking (thank you for asking) and I would be pleased and honored~ <3
Gorgeous colors!!!
Mother Nature has a rockin palette!
Oh yes
https://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/4212101ermai013.jpg
Bonne vie à toi mon cher ami Bernard! 🌷
They’re beautiful, Cindy. Like artwork themselves! 🙂
Mother Nature out did herself! <3
Wow, Cindy! Glad they got in the way. They look so unreal. I’ve never seen such unusual combination of coloring in one bird. Stunning visuals. <3
They surprised the heck out of me in a very wonderful way. I didn’t expect to see them or the snow that fell that day!
Snow, really! Life is full of surprises.
It sure does. The snow came after a month long heat wave!
This is the homeland of my Great-Great grandfather. What a gorgeous collection of pictures… Thanks for sharing…
Your Great-Great Grandfather comes from a truly beautiful part of the world. Thanks for stopping by & cheers to you!
Thanks for following my blog- linesoflisteningblog.wordpress.com. It is appreciated. Joyce
I am not following but I would be happy to head over and check out your blog, thank you for the invite. Cheers to you~
It must be aw inspiring to see such colorful birds as these are up close and personal. I cannot imagine seeing these in person. Here of course we see colorful humming birds and the rare peacock running around. You are just so lucky! 🙂
I was thrilled to see these guys, all the more so because it was entirely unsuspected. I couldn’t believe they were swimming in the snow in Germany!
I have never laid eyes on such an exotic duck. It almost seems like a fake ! Like they’ve just come from a fashion show and bought something couture. Bravo for the escapes that have brought these to the lens of Ms Knoke! x K
I know. All these people were too polite to call me a big fat liar! But they were all saying, “these can’t be real.” So I just gave them a google image search link to Mandarin Ducks. The ducks destroyed the whole 2017 Met Gala held recently. Eat your heart out, Anna Wintour! They are more couture than Vogue.
What beautiful plumage! I had never seen a Mandarin Duck before!
I certainly was not expecting to see them in Germany in the snow!
Mandarins are so exceptional in their unique coloring and feathers look thicker than most birds. The birds appear to be “preening” and “proud!” Thank you, dear Cindy. <3
They did seem quite aware of how handsome they were!
So cool! 🙂
Favoloso! Grazie
Grazie mille!
Lovely pics of the mandarins, and thanks for stopping by to visit my blog and like the post about the new autism symbol 🙂
I love what you are doing and support you 100%!
I can’t get enough of them!
I couldn’t either. I was stalking them and they lapped it up!
Mandarin ducks are beautiful and regal with their gorgeous plumage. I could never ever eat one.
Reblogged this on SUSANNE LEIST.
The ducks and I thank you very much for your support of them Susanne. I hear you. I can’t eat ducks at all. I used to raise them and they would migrate home every year. Seeing them was a big joy in our lives.
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Amazingly gorgeous. Mother Nature was in a colorful mood that day. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Hugs.
Thank you more for your kind appreciation!
Dear Cindy,
Thank you for reading my posts and liking them. I appreciate it a lot. 🙂
How beautiful! It is amazing to see what is on the other side of where I live! Thank you for bringing life over to me in North Carolina!
Thank you more for your very kind appreciation & cheers to you!
I’d like a dress this birds colours
It would look spectacular on you on stage. Take the photo to a designer friend and please share the result! <3