Hi Tweets,

Judging by the last few posted Vancouver BC Alerts, one might gain the
impression that the Alternate-plumaged adult male Common Eider Somateria
mollisima, race v-nigra, has left: this is definitely *not* the case. It is
still here and associating as usual with Surf Scoters.

Here are the its usual feeding and roosting locations:

If you can find the largest scoter flock, but as one visitor said: check out
*all* the scoter flocks--it's usually on the edge of it:

South side of Burrard Inlet:

Point Grey
Access from NW Marine Drive, parking lot about 300 meters W of the end of W
Spanish Banks (Anchor sculpture)

West Spanish Banks
Access from NW Marine Drive

East Spanish Banks
Access from NW Marine Drive

Locarno/Jericho
Access from NW Marine Drive

Bayswater Beach
Access from Point Grey Road

Kitsilano Beach
Access from Cornwall St. (Point Grey Road)

Scope across to Stanley Park to see if you can locate the big scoter flock;
if you can, you may be able to pick out the eider from there as a big white
horse of a duck (at that distance GW gulls can suggest it, but the eider's
low in the water).

Stanley Park:

Brockton Point
Lumberman's Arch
Beaver Lake Outflow
Prospect Point-Siwash Rock
Siwash Rock-Third Beach
Ferguson Point
Second Beach

Access from the Seawall if walking.
If driving, park and scope W from Brockton Pt., look for large scoter flock;
park at Prospect Point (atop the cliff) and scope the other side, either
side of the N end of the Lion's Gate Bridge, from the viewpoint just down
the steps *below* the big tourist area (but not the seawall below the point
unless you're already alking thew seawall);
park at 3rd Beach lot and walk N around the corner to scope N of Siwash Rock.
Park at the Ferguson Point Tea-house lot and scope from there; remember that
ya gotta pay for parking in Stanley Park (C$1.00 for 2 hrs) and they *do*
ticket.

If you need to cross over to West Vancouver, cross by the Lion's Gate Bridge
and take the West Vancouver exit at the N end.


West Vancouver:

Ambleside Park
Access easy: park in beachside lot (free), go up onto the jetties.

Dundarave Pier:
Further west; access easy from (West Vancouver's) Marine Drive, with paid
parking nearby

Cypress Creek
Access from (West Vancouver's) Marine Drive, turn off at Stearman, turn R
and look for beach access. Good site for Black Oystercatchers, Black
Turnstones, and sometimes Surfbirds.

It seems to have left the Iona South Jetty location for good, but it *might*
head back there if the scoter flock decides to head there. This bird has
been quite interesting, since it gives a demonstration of how the scoters
move around this area, something about which virtually nothing is known.

Good luck in finding it: it's really a spectacular bird!

Cheers.

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)