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.
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Male King Eider in Vancouver - Photo: Peter Woods |