The female King Eider was first seen in the channel just south of Ocean
Shores on July 2, 2009, in the water between the old jetty rocks and the
Oyehut Game Range. She has been seen flying in with a group of Surf Scoters,
so I can only assume she has no pressing reason to leave for now. I hope she
does eventually move on, but for now we appreciate getting to see her
plumage changes; right now she is molting (her 2nd in the time she has been
here) and looking decidedly raggedy.

Dianna Moore
Ocean Shores, Wa.
dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com