MILWAUKEE — People from all across Wisconsin have been flocking to Milwaukee’s shores in search of the Mandarin duck.
Cathay Busch is an avid bird watcher and was lucky enough to see the Mandarin duck earlier this month.
“I have never seen one before besides Wednesday, I just saw it Wednesday,” said Busch. “Mandarin duck is related to the wood duck and the wood duck is a very pretty duck too.”
The Mandarin duck is native to eastern Asia, and is commonly found in Korea, eastern Russia, China, Taiwan and Japan. With there being 6,869 miles between China and Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources believes this Mandarin duck was once a pet.
While hundreds of bird watchers flood to Lake Michigan’s shoreline in search of the duck, not everyone is as lucky as Busch.
“Been chasing it around from Fond du Lac down to here for the last month or more,” said Ed Welk, a bird watcher.
Welk believes the bird often travels back and forth from Fond du Lac, but he can not seem to track it down.
“I have some spots I hit on the way back, so I head up to Frame park in Waukesha and some other stops on my way home and see what I can find,” said Welk.
On Wednesday, Busch said her friend was robbed at gunpoint while in search of the Mandarin duck.
“He pulled over and jumped out and had an assault rifle on him and demanded his gear, which the photographer would not give to him,” said Busch.
The St. Francis Police Department responded to the incident and said they are currently in search of the perpetrator. Despite the robbery, Busch went back to search for the Mandarin duck this weekend.
“I am not worried about it because it was isolated, but you just need to be aware that when you park somewhere to be careful,” said Busch.