I took a drive out to the Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Litchfield, Connecticut today. The conservancy was founded as a “breeding facility focused on maintaining genetic diversity of rare and endangered species.” I don’t usually post captive animals, but I was really impressed with the mission of the conservancy and hope to do some marketing work with them. They have waterfowl from all across the world, including three species of eider. This is the king eider, which I’ve yet to photograph in the wild. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 500, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.
Difficult bird to see unusual waterfowl in the wild. I’ve seen photos of them taken at Audubon’s Sachuest Point just north of Newport, RI. Eiders and the harliquins. They frequent rocky coastlines in the winter. and Sachuest is prime for that.
I get Ripley’s newsletters and have yet to get down there. The breeding plumage of the males is starting to come in. Will make time to go. Let me know next time you go there.
No, eiders aren’t penguins. They are large sea ducks. There are three different species of eider, the common eider, the spectacled eider and this guy, the king eider. They live north as opposed to penguins, which all 17 species live at or below the equator.
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I took a drive out to the Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Litchfield, Connecticut today. The conservancy was founded as a “breeding facility focused on maintaining genetic diversity of rare and endangered species.” I don’t usually post captive animals, but I was really impressed with the mission of the conservancy and hope to do some marketing work with them. They have waterfowl from all across the world, including three species of eider. This is the king eider, which I’ve yet to photograph in the wild. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 500, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.
WOW!!!! What a gorgeous dome!
No doubt. Domes were about all I could photograph given the fencing at this location.
Would love to see one of these in the wild. Terrific details here.
Thanks Rick. Me too. I was able to photograph common eiders in northern New England but never these guys.
Difficult bird to see unusual waterfowl in the wild. I’ve seen photos of them taken at Audubon’s Sachuest Point just north of Newport, RI. Eiders and the harliquins. They frequent rocky coastlines in the winter. and Sachuest is prime for that.
I get Ripley’s newsletters and have yet to get down there. The breeding plumage of the males is starting to come in. Will make time to go. Let me know next time you go there.
This is a beautiful portrait!
Thanks Rachel. Will do. Hopefully I’ll be doing some advertising work with them. Still to be determined.
so beautiful
Some pretty heavy inbreeding in that royal line I’d say
Impressive pastel plumage.
Agreed. Thanks Donna.
Is that a penguin
Is that a penguin
No, eiders aren’t penguins. They are large sea ducks. There are three different species of eider, the common eider, the spectacled eider and this guy, the king eider. They live north as opposed to penguins, which all 17 species live at or below the equator.