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King Eider @ Ft. Fisher area



Having spent some time at the Ft. Fisher SRA trying to
turn up some Snow Buntings or Longspurs without
success, I was heading north on my way home when I
decided to check the coquina rock formation on the
ocean shore in front of the Ocean Dunes Condominiums. 
Thought I might find a Purple Sandpiper since the tide
was low.  No luck on the sandpiper, but did see 2 Red
Knots feeding with the Sanderlings, Dunlin, and lone
Ruddy Turnstone.  I was about to leave when something
out in the ocean and a little south of the rock
formation caught my eye.  

Turns out it was a 1st winter female King Eider just
like the one pictured in Sibley's Guide to Birds.  The
bird was very cooperative allowing me to walk up to
within 50 feet of him and then leaving the ocean
briefly to walk up onto the shore toward me for some
unknown reason, then returning to the water to about
30' offshore where he remained when I left.
Perhaps John Fussell or someone more knowledgeable than
I can hazard a guess whether this bird is likely to be
found after today.

This area is located on the east side of Hwy 421 about
a quarter mile before the Ft. Fisher State Historic
Site when heading south.  The site is in the extreme
south end of New Hanover County, North Carolina.  There
is a public beach access at the site, and parking is
available on the west side of 421.

Good birding all.

Bruce Smithson
318 W. Blackbeard Rd.
Wilmington, NC  28409
(910) 799-5083
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