Somateria mollissisma is a rather bulky and short necked duck, with the female sporting a classically camouflaged plumage and the males a rather dapper suit of black and white. Unfortunately, when I was up on the coast of Northumbria most of the males seemed to be else where! I did manage to photograph one - who seems to be in one of the "bewildering variety of piebald plumages" mentioned in the BWP.
As you can see some of the females had ducklings with them - and I was also able to take some shots looking almost straight down on the females that were swimming in the harbour at Seahouses.
Now it's your turn. Click on the link below and off you go.
so cute! love their 'roman noses'. beautiful ducks.
ReplyDeletebills are goose-like
ReplyDeletecool looking birds
Oh wow, I just love the eider duck. I hope with foam filling now their down isn't too popular anymore. I'll add my link tomorrow (Wednesday) Have a great day. Jo
ReplyDeleteOh, they are so beautiful !
ReplyDeleteGreat photos !
Eiders are life! And they look alien to me:) I've only seen the Common Eider which to me is not so common:)
ReplyDeleteFantastic birds to see... lovely images.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the ducks. I have read about them but of course never seen them.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely little ducks, and great images.
ReplyDeleteThey are gorgeous ducks!
ReplyDeleteLove your pic of the mama and her ducklings!
ReplyDeleteEiders are wonderful and strange ducks, beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteVery regal looking ducks with those "noses"! I've never seen one in the wild.
ReplyDeleteVery attractive...I really like their color pattern.
ReplyDeleteAn unmistakeable profile even at very long distance. A great shame you didn't get to see a male in its full finery.
ReplyDeleteGreat views. Mama has beautiful feathers!
ReplyDeleteLove that first top down shot with the feet stuck out.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, Stewart.
ReplyDeleteThe third and fourth pictures are my favorite.
Best regards Irma
I thought of you when I saw this picture of puffins.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.naturephotoblog.com/index.php?showimage=1484
Well there you go. As an untravelled Australian male I had never contemplated the origin of the term eiderdown! What a nuff nuff! Educated by Stewart as always!
ReplyDeleteEducated, entertained and inspired!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the ducks, Stewart. Thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteA handsome duck! The Northern Hemisphere sea-going ducks always intrigue me as our species don't seem to like the saltwater much.
ReplyDeleteThe overhead pictures are kinda neat. Dapper Dad is quite a bird. MB
ReplyDeleteNever heard of them...until now so thank you for showing this one this week, Stewart!...:)JP
ReplyDeleteNice Eider views to show the plumage types. UK seems to have a greater economy in the names of birds-- so many have single words as Eider, Blackbird, Sparrow, Buzzard etc.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty bird shots.
ReplyDeleteWell they certainly are pretty little ducks. I had heard of Eider down filled coats, but never saw one of them, nor the birds before~
ReplyDeleteLovely images, Stewart! I must say, I love my down bed quilt.
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots! I loved being able to see the proverbial "duck's back." :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the photos shot from the high angle, with the ducklings. Wonderful. You know, this may be the first bird your posted that I have actually seen here! A little ah-ha moment when I saw them!
ReplyDeleteThe Eiders are beautiful. I never knew what they look like.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty cool looking with that odd looking beak. Nice photos Stewart.
ReplyDeleteWe saw King Eiders at the SeaLife Center in Seward; it was all Alaska birds and animals, but we never saw one in the actual wild. Before that, Eider was just a crossword puzzle word to me.
ReplyDeleteI love waterfowl of all kinds... Thank you for linking into Nature Notes... Michelle
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! I wonder if down is still used with all the synthetics available now? Anyway, love the mother with the babies!
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