That the Common Eider is the largest duck in the Northern Hemisphere? The male’s bright white, black, and green plumage contrasts markedly with the female’s camouflaging dull striped brown.
Mother Common Eiders lead their young to water, and often are accompanied by nonbreeding hens that participate in chick protection. Broods often come together to form “crèches” of a few to over 150 ducklings. Attacks by predators may cause several broods to cluster together into a crèche. Once formed, a crèche tends to stay together throughout the brood rearing period, although some of the different females attending it may leave.
This raft of male eiders all have their beaks tucked under their wings, as it was bitterly cold and windy.
From allaboutbirds.com
E.J. Lefavour
www.khanstudiointernational.com
Good Morning Gloucester 