Visiting UK in June End/Early July - Looking to photograph the Mandarin Duck (1 Viewer)

Hi Everyone,

I will be visiting the UK, specifically London and Newcastle for my son's graduation in late June and early July 2024.

After the graduation on the 28th of June, I have a few days to myself.

I am planning on going to the Farne Islands and have a day tour scheduled for the 2nd of July at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.

I would also love to photograph the Mandarin Ducks if possible.

Can anyone point in in the right direction/advise me as to where my chances of seeing them in late June/early July are brightest?

Would also be grateful for any advise on Farne Islands as well. Should I stay at Newcastle and drive down for the day or should I spend a night or two at Seahouses.


Thank you all in advance.

Welcome to the forum.
I'll leave tips on seeing Mandarin to others to comment, but may be worth noting that they will be in eclipse at this time of year, looking rather dowdy and being secretive.
If you are headed to the Farnes you definitely want to stay a bit closer, it is over 1hr to Seahouses from Newcastle, and whilst it is a lovely city, you really don't want to miss out on the Northumbrian coast - one of the most beautiful in the UK. Seahouses/Bamburgh/Budle are all better locations and within easy reach of the harbour. There are a number tours, but really you want to try to visit Brownsman and Inner Farne. July may be getting a little late, so if you can go in June, you will be in for a treat.
Enjoy!

Hi anujrawla and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. As they're not a native species, I can't help too much on the Mandarin Ducks but you'd probably find them in the collection at St James's Park. I know there's some feral ones around Arundel in Sussex. However, wait for others to chime in.

As for a northerly base for the Farnes, I don't like staying in cities so I'd vote for anywhere north of Newcastle LOL but I'm sure Newcastle has lots to offer if you've not been there before. It is a bit of a distance from there to Seahouses, so you might want to go there at least the day before.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

Hi anujrawla,

You are in for a real treat in Northumberland!, especially at Seahouses and on a boat trip to the Farne Islands. I went up there last May and would love to return sometime.
I think your nearest place up there for Mandarin Ducks would be Kielder Water? Link here: Kielder Forest | Birdingplaces

If ever you're back in the UK and still wish to see Mandarin Ducks, then I can thoroughly recommend Chee Dale, at the end of the Monsal Trail in The Peak District. I saw several breeding pairs there, along with plenty of Dippers, and of course Grey Wagtails. It's a beautiful place!
Link here: Chee Dale | Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

Enjoy your visit.

If in London, most of the large parks have mandarin. A good place is the main lake in Kew Gardens (red-crested Pochard too). Also on the serpentine in Hyde park but sometimes more difficult to find there.

You will not find any male Mandarin Ducks in spectacular plumage in late June and July - they moult into a female type plumage for the summer, only really distinguishable by their reddish bills.
I would concentrate on enjoying the Farnes and Bempton Cliffs.

If you are in Newcastle / Northumberland, a scenic spot with a small population of Mandarin Ducks is just upstream of Bellingham on the North Tyne, basically the area between the village and the Kielder Reservoir dam. There are some beautiful walks by the river, and a chance to see a variety of common (e.g. common treecreeper) and not so common (e.g. spotted flycatcher) woodland birds, as well as grey wagtail and white-throated dipper on the river.
As others have said, you really don't want to miss out on the Northumberland coast though - the tern colonies at Long Nanny, Beadnell Bay (Arctic and some little); Coquet Island - accessible by boat from Amble although no landing permitted, see Puffin Cruises (roseate, Arctic, common, Sandwich); and the Farne Islands - as others have said, accessible by boat from Seahouses, and I believe landing is permitted again after bird flu (Arctic, common, Sandwich). Atlantic puffin, razorbills and guillemots should still be around at the breeding colonies too.
Seahouses is accessible by road from Newcastle in a day trip, but staying overnight on the coast would give you more options, particularly if you wanted to get across to Bellingham to try for the Mandarins.
Seahouses itself is a surprisingly brash and busy little seaside resort, the sort of place you go for fish and chips - there are better accommodation options on the Northumberland coast in places like Beadnell or Warkworth. I know someone who runs an excellent bed & breakfast - most likely already full, but DM me if you want more details.
If you're based in Newcastle, don't neglect the Quayside with its kittiwake colony on buildings like Baltic Arts Centre - the young ones should be quite well grown then too.