King Eider’s royal progress
Sussex’s first ever King Eider, an adult drake, was found by Cliff Dean last Sunday (11th) on the sea off Pett Level. Many people saw it later that day and a report and photo were published on this website. There was just one reported sighting during the week, off Rye Harbour on Tuesday, despite a great deal of searching. Then yesterday to everyone’s surprise the bird was spotted again back at Cliff End at midday, very close in and drifting slowly east with the current. Pursued by a growing band of admirers, it had reached Winchelsea Beach by 3 pm but was heading further out to sea. Today the same bird was off Camber at 2 pm and Jury’s Gap by 4 pm, drifting towards a place in Kent’s 2009 records as well as Sussex’s. Whether it will reach Dungeness or double back to Pett is anyone’s guess! There are at least two other King Eiders in the UK at present - a long-stayer at Kincraig (Fife) and another bird at Polkerris in Cornwall.