Common Eider
Somateria mollissima

The Eider is a large, sea-going duck found around the northern UK, Scandinavia, Northern North America, Greenland and Eastern Siberia in summer and only a little further south in winter. Occasionally, particularly harsh winters can send Baltic populations far inland, such as these birds in Switzerland. The males are particularly striking in their appearance with the pale green, black and white patches and both sexes have an easily-identifiable wedge-shaped beak. They are 50-71 cm in length, making them one of Britain's largest ducks.
 

1: Rothesay Harbour, Argyll and Bute, 05/06/2005.
2: North Berwick, East Lothian, 25/06/2005.