Beside an eider

Seahouses on a British Bank Holiday Sunday - you either love it or you hate it.  A heady mix of smells - chips, candyfloss, doughnuts, dogs (hot or otherwise); visual treats - people stuffing their faces with chips, candyfloss, doughnuts, dogs (hot only); and sounds - the whirring credit card machines at the Farne Islands trip kiosks, the hubbub of the tat emporium bursting at the seams with punters, and the local lads eyeing up the lasses and going ahh-ooo-er when they see one they like the look of....... and that's just the ducks.

Although I would admit to being particularly partial to a pintail, there is nothing in the duck world that quite matches the eider in my humble opinion and there is no finer place to get up close and personal than the harbour at Seahouses.  Feed them your sandwich crumbs if you want an even closer encounter.



At this time of year there is much posturing going on between the males and the mixed group of a couple of dozen ducks and drakes were full of interaction, noise and bustle with a bit of sex thrown in too. 

Almost as enjoyable as watching the eiders is watching the people watching the eiders. The sound that the drakes make as they throw back their heads and puff out their chests  (here in case you need reminding) makes everyone smile. Its hilarious and so are the passers-by who, without fail, seem unable to resist turning to their companions and mimicking ah-ooo-er.

Much has been written about Cuddy's Duck and I dare say some of it is even true, but one aspect of the UK's heaviest duck that intrigued me recently can be found in my earlier post about snotty nose syndrome