first time seeing an eider

[nchaput]

Not by choice I have been spending quite a bit of time on the sound lately and since I am new to the west coast and doing a lot of reading on the different types of waterfowl I recently read an article about the eider. With this new found knowledge I identified quite a few. First time I saw one was when my wheel bearing failed on my trailer 6 maybe ten feet from launching and then again today while I was "training" for my job. Kind of a rant cause I can't bring a gun to work but here is the info. There are eider in the puget sound towards nisqually. Not a lot from the miles i covered but some do with the information what you will and keep me posted.

[Skyhigh]

so do they allow you to bring a camera to work?

[teal101]

You positive they're Eiders?  Those are pretty rare in WA, extremely rare actually.  Being as the Pacific Eider is a very open water bird of the far north.  The King Eider is the only straggler i have heard of that has been spotted in WA in the recent years.  Seeing an Eider, let alone more than one on different days is pretty amazing.  Drakes or hens?  You sure they aren't scoters?

[Dustin07]

You positive they're Eiders?  Those are pretty rare in WA, extremely rare actually.  Being as the Pacific Eider is a very open water bird of the far north.  The King Eider is the only straggler i have heard of that has been spotted in WA in the recent years.  Seeing an Eider, let alone more than one on different days is pretty amazing.  Drakes or hens?  You sure they aren't scoters?

I thought harli's were rare until I actually spent time on the salt. seems they are more abundant than I thought. I'd love to see a pic of these though if they are really out there.

[carpsniperg2]

they are a cool duck for sure never seen a live one myself.

[lokidog]

You positive they're Eiders?  Those are pretty rare in WA, extremely rare actually.  Being as the Pacific Eider is a very open water bird of the far north.  The King Eider is the only straggler i have heard of that has been spotted in WA in the recent years.  Seeing an Eider, let alone more than one on different days is pretty amazing.  Drakes or hens?  You sure they aren't scoters?

I thought harli's were rare until I actually spent time on the salt. seems they are more abundant than I thought. I'd love to see a pic of these though if they are really out there.

Dustin where are you seeing harlis?  I live on the salt and have only seen one or two.  Have to agree on the rarity of the eiders in WA though.

[h2ofowlr]

There's plenty of harli's in the area, you just have to get out and scout them a little bit and know where to look for them.  I have been seeing quite a few, but since you can only shoot ( 1 ) per season, I spend the rest of the time just admiring them.

[Dustin07]

Dustin where are you seeing harlis?  I live on the salt and have only seen one or two.  Have to agree on the rarity of the eiders in WA though.

maybe it's a right-time right-place type thing because if I listed the places I've seen them now, from Grays Harbor up to the border almost you'd laugh. They are more dispersed than I thought. The one place I have NOT seen them, but have been told they are plentiful is the south puget area from PT Defiance to the Case Inlet area. I've been told by land owners that they see them all the time in that area too. I fish a lot out there though and haven't noticed them.

[teal101]

You positive they're Eiders?  Those are pretty rare in WA, extremely rare actually.  Being as the Pacific Eider is a very open water bird of the far north.  The King Eider is the only straggler i have heard of that has been spotted in WA in the recent years.  Seeing an Eider, let alone more than one on different days is pretty amazing.  Drakes or hens?  You sure they aren't scoters?

I thought harli's were rare until I actually spent time on the salt. seems they are more abundant than I thought. I'd love to see a pic of these though if they are really out there.

Harli's are pretty common once you find where they're holding.

Eiders are a whole different boat of rare for Washington...

[nchaput]

Pretty sure they were eider. Just read an article on the comode about them about two weeks ago and when we were motoring out in the sound to swim in there were two sitting out by ketron island just hanging out. Black and white birds larger than a mallard with and orange bill. Very pretty birds. Have seen maybe five of them in two days. I didn't have a camera with me so no pics. I will see if someone got some pics.

[T-Bone]

Pretty sure they were eider. Just read an article on the comode about them about two weeks ago and when we were motoring out in the sound to swim in there were two sitting out by ketron island just hanging out. Black and white birds larger than a mallard with and orange bill. Very pretty birds. Have seen maybe five of them in two days. I didn't have a camera with me so no pics. I will see if someone got some pics.

Not eiders...surf scoters:

http://www.seaduckjv.org/infoseries/susc_sppfactsheet.pdf

[lokidog]

Not eiders...surf scoters:

http://www.seaduckjv.org/infoseries/susc_sppfactsheet.pdf

That was my thought as well.  It would be cool to see some eiders but 

[teal101]

Pretty sure they were eider. Just read an article on the comode about them about two weeks ago and when we were motoring out in the sound to swim in there were two sitting out by ketron island just hanging out. Black and white birds larger than a mallard with and orange bill. Very pretty birds. Have seen maybe five of them in two days. I didn't have a camera with me so no pics. I will see if someone got some pics.

5 Pacifics in the sound?  Probably not...

I Guarantee they're surf scoters...