King Eider

Eider Duck's are relatively easy to see and photograph (see link to my Eider page)

However King Eider is a much rarer winter visitor, indeed there a small number of King Eiders reported in Britain each year and I was pleased to see this lovely Male in Girvan near Ayr in April 2008

We failed to spot the bird at first as we walked along Girvan beach, but later we walked south and we were rewarded with good views and some reasonable pictures despite the choppy seas. The bird was with a group of 20+ “regular Eiders”.

The pictures below are of a first year male King Eider seen at Shetland in May 2008, although more distant, to see two different King Eiders in two months was good.

All Photos Copyright  Nigel Spencer