This already amazing encounter with the King Eider was about to go up a gear as it settled down to feed! I'd watched the Eiders dive for mussels in deeper water here before but here was a chance to see their feeding routine up close - with none other than the KING!
Here's some music to watch King Eider by - why not savour this old Squeeze classic (live!!) - how good are they!
This is a composite sequence, several mussels (and one or two cockles) were seriously hurt during the recording of these images
A bit of a toss to align the mussel.
Then cruuuunch!
There's not much nutrition in mussel shells so the best way to get rid of them is to hang onto the soft parts and vigorously rinse them away!
One gone!
And another.....
And just prove they eat cockles!
The rest of the day was spent walking the bank of the river Don in the vain hope of the Harlequin duck still lurking somewhere? It wasn't but I think the KE was adequate consolation......
