A female Common Eider recently escaped from a waterfowl collection on Fir
Island as a result of damage from a recent storms. Yesterday Ben Davis
found one at Hayton Reserve. I've confirmed with the owner that this is
indeed the eider that escaped last week. Some photos are here:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32220389

Of interest, this bird is a female of the Atlantic race 'dresseri' which
can be told by the bill shape and color, and I believe also the overall
rich coloration. To date most of the vagrant Common Eiders that have been
found on the west coast have been of the 'v-nigrum' subspecies including
all three Washington records. The first Pacific Ocean record of 'dresseri'
was found in November 2011 in Crescent City, CA (see link).

https://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V45/WB-45(2)-Able_et_al.pdf


Good birding,
Ryan Merrill
Seattle
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