Hi,
I don't know how rare this is but it case birders want to chase it I wanted to
get the word out: I found an adult male King Eider in St. Catherine's, Ont. at
approx. noon today. The bird was one of many waterfowl in a cove along Lake
Ontario. It was offshore maybe 150' from the trail. I viewed the eider
through
my scope while it preened and otherwise sat on the water. After a few minutes
most of the waterfowl flushed when a walker approached. The birds flew roughly
northeast toward Lake Ontario proper but they didn't seem to go far. However,
I
could not relocate the bird after some searching.
The location is along the Welland Canal Trail, George Nicholson Trail section.
Park your car at the end of Seaway Haulage Rd. and walk down the main trail.
After several hundred feet, take the trail that goes off to the right (east).
It curves to the north and runs along the west side of the above mentioned
cove. Before the shoreline and trail curve to the right, look through the
sumacs and other trees and this is where I saw the eider.
Also in area were Iceland Gull, Hermit Thrush and many, many gulls and
waterfowl.
Gotta run... more on the birds of my Niagara Falls area trip later this week.
Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.
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