At 3pm on Dec 4th-2017, Peter Woods found a male King Eider at Stanley Park in Vancouver. The bird was near to shore allowing for close views. It was between the north end of English Bay and the Second Beach swimming pool. It was viewed from the seawall off Stanley Park Drive in a small Surf Scoter flock until 4:20pm, when it became dark and the observer left.
A map to exact location HERE
At 8:10 am on Dec 5th-2017 it was viewed by multiple observers at the same time that the male King Eider was being viewed in Berth 5 in Tsawwassen. To read about the Delta bird click HERE.
The Vancouver male King Eider was relocated with six Surf Scoters off the north end of English Bay off the seawall at Beach Ave, near the Sylvia Hotel.
A map to exact location HERE.
At 8am on Dec 6th the Eider was relocated with a large flock of Surf Scoters about 150m off the parking lot, just north of the 2nd beach swimming pool.
At 1:10pm on Dec 7th, the King Eider was seen near the SeaBus terminal at Waterfront Station in a large raft of Surf scoters. It was still present as of 3:30pm.
At 1:30pm on Dec 8th, the bird continues as viewed from the Seabus near the tip of Canada Place.
On Dec 9th, 10:30am the bird continues at Canada Place.
Map to Canada Place location HERE.
The bird was not relocated on Dec 10th or 11th, despite multiple observers looking.
At 11:50am on Dec 16th, the bird was relocated just off Canada Place near the blue drop sculpture, with a flock of Surf Scoters and one female Long-tailed Duck. It has not been relocated since.
** An aside: On Dec 2nd-2017, Ryan Terrill reported seeing a bird that he thought was "undoubtedly a Female King Eider" offshore from the "Star Princess" cruise ship between UBC and Lighthouse Park. His description fit a female Eider and it was last seen flying north with a Surf Scoter flock towards Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. However, due to distance and unidentifiable photos, other Eider species could not be ruled out. Therefore, that record had to be left unconfirmed. There are now 3 potential King Eiders in Vancouver.
If this male King Eider in Vancouver is in fact a second individual, it would represent the 36th record for the province of BC.
A map to exact location HERE
At 8:10 am on Dec 5th-2017 it was viewed by multiple observers at the same time that the male King Eider was being viewed in Berth 5 in Tsawwassen. To read about the Delta bird click HERE.
The Vancouver male King Eider was relocated with six Surf Scoters off the north end of English Bay off the seawall at Beach Ave, near the Sylvia Hotel.
A map to exact location HERE.
At 8am on Dec 6th the Eider was relocated with a large flock of Surf Scoters about 150m off the parking lot, just north of the 2nd beach swimming pool.
At 1:10pm on Dec 7th, the King Eider was seen near the SeaBus terminal at Waterfront Station in a large raft of Surf scoters. It was still present as of 3:30pm.
At 1:30pm on Dec 8th, the bird continues as viewed from the Seabus near the tip of Canada Place.
On Dec 9th, 10:30am the bird continues at Canada Place.
Map to Canada Place location HERE.
The bird was not relocated on Dec 10th or 11th, despite multiple observers looking.
At 11:50am on Dec 16th, the bird was relocated just off Canada Place near the blue drop sculpture, with a flock of Surf Scoters and one female Long-tailed Duck. It has not been relocated since.
** An aside: On Dec 2nd-2017, Ryan Terrill reported seeing a bird that he thought was "undoubtedly a Female King Eider" offshore from the "Star Princess" cruise ship between UBC and Lighthouse Park. His description fit a female Eider and it was last seen flying north with a Surf Scoter flock towards Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. However, due to distance and unidentifiable photos, other Eider species could not be ruled out. Therefore, that record had to be left unconfirmed. There are now 3 potential King Eiders in Vancouver.
If this male King Eider in Vancouver is in fact a second individual, it would represent the 36th record for the province of BC.
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| Male King Eider in Vancouver - Photo: Peter Woods |
It was not at the Seabus station/Canada Place when I arrived around 12. Around 1 I went to get lunch and headed to Stanley Park to no luck. Saw the update here and came back to Canada Place around 3:45. Some people told me they had waited an hour before me with no luck.
ReplyDeleteSorry you missed it Frank it was there but flew away after being spotted at 1:30pm. Keep trying you will see him eventually unfortunately he is moving around much more than the Delta bird did in the ferry berths. The Vancouver Eider is moving from English Bay to the Waterfront Station and who knows where else. I would check Stanley Park and Ambleside. It's a big area and they have wings. Good Luck
DeleteYeah I checked again today at the same spot, but only arrive around 12pm. At first there was an odd Barrow's Goldeneye and White-Winged Scoter (female or juvenile, it was there yesterday as well) among them but the Goldeneye left and I lost track of the White-Winged. They seem easily spooked by something underneath the dock as well as the seabus. At one point a seal surfaced between them and they diffused out in a circle.
DeleteNot sure if I will go tomorrow, I live pretty far from downtown and have been a bit under the weather.
Does anybody know if the King Eider has shown up either around Stanley Park, or the ferry terminal in the last couple of days? I am going to be in the B.C. area this weekend - and was really hoping to get to see one of them. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteHi Deanna if you scroll up to the page and also if you click on the Delta Eider page as well you can see I have updated that there has been no sightings in delta since dec 5th and no sightings in Vancouver since Dec 9th. So unfortunately no one has seen an Eider at either location in quite some time.
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