Tweeters and OBOLers,

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, eastern Washington once again
is host to a rarity from the north. Mike and Merry-Lynn Denny
(dennme at wwc.edu and not on tweeters) found an immature male STELLER'S EIDER
(second state record?) at the Walla Walla River delta this morning. The
bird has been seen by multiple observers through at least 3pm today, and
photographed at close range. The plumage appears to be intermediate between
juvenile and adult male plumage. The plumage appears like typical drawings
of juvenile males of this species with the lower breast and belly having the
cream color of an adult male.

During the 2 hours I observed the eider it spent all the time alone, most of
the time feeding in shallow pools on the mud flats, and doing more walking
than I'd expect an eider to do. It is very approachable (possible to
approach too close for scope use) so detailed study is easy. Plumage is
clean and sharp with no leg bands or other man-made markings.

According to Mike the eider was first seen at the 'crotch' where the
mudflats meet the mainland. Later the bird flew around for several minutes
when several hundred gulls flushed. Upon landing it walked across the flats
to the edge of vegetation and spent the rest of the time within 20-30 feet
of the loostrife and other vegetation and in seemingly un-eider-like fashion
appeared to filter feed in the shallow pools. However, Madge and Burn(1988)
state that this species will dabble and forage along shoreline.

Search very carefully as the bird is nearly impossible to see when it is
standing in a pool with head down feeding.

Good luck!

_____________________________________________________________________________
Scott Ray Washington Birder Newsletter
Yakima, WA PO Box 191
scray at wolfenet.com Moxee, WA 98936
http://www.wolfenet.com/~scray/