somateria mollissima

Common eiders

Eider à duvet Somateria mollissima Common Eider

A stunning bird to look at. One of the few instances when I could get close enough for a decent shot.

Zoomed in to this Hefty looking bird.

I always enjoy watching and listening to the Eiders at one of my local spots on Walney Island in Cumbria. I spent about an hour lying on the grass at the waters edge waiting for them to come nearer. After a while several pairs came very close and I got to witness lots of interesting behaviour...

The UK's fastest flying duck so I was well pleased to get this flight shot :D

what a difference a day makes, arrived in Seahouses on Friday evening with blue skies and sun, awoke on Saturday to grey skies and mist, no guessing when this was taken

time to move on as we sailed past this superb duck

This male eider wasn't getting much female attention, for all his handsome display and romantic cooing. Is he a frustrated youngster, doing some post-season practicing? Or maybe an established partner, reinforcing the bond? I'm leaning towards the latter, as the flock seemed to drift into...

After a short hop over a few waves, the eiders landed a few yards further out in the water.

Maybe not the most graceful flyer, but who am I to kibbitz?

These two male eiders were just paddling along the shoreline where I went for a Sunday hike.

This was yesterday's other surprise, but this one I actually saw as it happened. I'd been watching a pair of male eider ducks bobbing along just off shore, headed in the opposite direction from mine. As they got further away I was about to move on, but decided to backtrack a bit and watch some...

Spent a long time, walking along the jetty, North Haven beach, Fair Isle, very, very slowly until I got exactly where I wanted to be, took lots including female eiders as well.

Another ''photo'' lifer!

Whilst visiting the Farne Islands last week the harbour at Seahouses proved very good for Eider, especially in the evenings. http://www.rusticolus.co.uk

This is one of a pair that was quietly paddling along the coast of the Mediterranean. The out-of-focus foreground is a rock on the shoreline. Finding them that far south was quite a surprise.

Last bird I photographed in 2005