Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2018

Aubrey Choquette
Clem Nilan
Tom Jiamachello
Steve Antell

As best as I can remember, it was partly sunny, cool and breezy.

Kowa on 60 power to start, then 20.

I had been studying the female eider at The Champlain Bridge until about 1:30 PM, with Ted Murin (who sent a report for the female). We both stayed on her as she flew north and settled at DAR. This was the first time I had seen a female King Eider. I had not seen an immature male previously. I had seen a mature male once in Mass.

Both birds were in center of lake, near Long-tailed Ducks, Scaups, Loons, and Scoters.

While resting on the water, both birds seemed to “hold” their wings slightly up, versus laying flat against their backs. This created a sort of demarcation or space between their backs and the wings. Also, just before diving, both birds would lift and spread their wings slightly, giving the observers the impression they might take flight. The two birds stayed close together for most of the observation. At one point, the female seemed to make an aggressive move toward the second duck, which scurried a short distance away.

no vocalizations

Ted Murin and I watched the female eider fly and eventually settle on the water, about two miles north, at DAR. About a half hour later, Steve, Aubrey and I located the ducks and noticed the two stayed close to each other. We focused on the female first, checking off field marks as she moved in the water and different angles/sunlight revealed her markings. Then we turned our attention to the duck that was with her. Initially we were are baffled, as field markings did not match any scoter. We commented on how this duck did not look like any duck we would expect to find on the lake. Eventually, Aubrey resorted to an app and that is when we all realized there was a second King Eider!

It was same size as the female eider and did not have field marks consistent for any scoters. It was the same size, shape, and profile as the female and seemed to “sit low and appear portly” in the water like the female, giving us the impression it was a heavy bird.

Roundish, dark head and thick neck. Slope from forehead to bill tip different than common eider. Bill appeared concave, also unlike a Common Eider bill. Dingy white chin.

Smallish concave orange/yellow bill, slightly unturned. The bill extended high onto its forehead, but not like a common eider.

Dark upper back

Dark

Dark like back and head.

Breast was dingy white. Did not observe under tail coverts or belly.

did not observe.

Eliminated all scoters as field markings and size did not fit. Because it stayed close to the female, it was obvious that it was also an eider as aside from the plumage, the birds were nearly identical. These ducks dwarfed the Long-tailed Ducks that were nearby.

The King Eiders have remained on the lake in this location for two weeks (as I write this). Many people have seen the pair and have come to the same conclusion that these are female and immature male King Eider.