Spectacled Eider Duck (Somateria fischeri) ~ Drawing Others In
Spectacled Eider Ducks inhabit boggy tundra waters during the relative warmth of summer. In winter the lakes freeze and the ducks vanish. Until recently no one knew where the ducks went. In the late 90’s localized patches were discovered across the frozen Arctic Ocean. Upon further investigation, voilá, there were the Eider Ducks! It seems that the Eider Duck forms massive colonies by which their constant movement and body heat keep sea ice from forming. The entire world population of Eider Duck can be found in only a dozen such colonies each winter. By packing tightly together and keeping the ice at bay, Eider Ducks can dive all winter to find food where normally sea ice makes life impossible. This weekend i was invited to go “Extreme Sledding”. i wasn’t sure exactly what “Extreme Sledding” meant. i do now. It’s basically like sledding but with more speed, more bruises, and a lot more fun. Im...