Susan Kirby

King eiders (Somateria spectabilis) are striking ducks, seen in small numbers this far south, preferring northern climates. The king eider “nests in relatively barren tundra of the high Arctic, usually near water, either the coast or interior lakes. Spends several months at molt-migration stopover sites, in fjords or in the open ocean. Winters at the southern edge of sea ice, in Hudson Bay, and in small numbers in farther south” (All about Birds). They are smaller than the common eiders, which are more plentiful in our area. In late 2021 a young male king eider arrived in the waters of Great Kills Park in Staten Island and decided to stay. I got to spend a day in October 2021 and one in April 2022 taking his photo.