Varanger Eider bonanza

Winter birding in Varanger is an Eider spectacle: Steller´s Eiders, King Eiders and Common Eiders are present in tens of thousands. They share much of the same areas, but the various species have different preferences. Typically the King eider favour the rougher seas. In general they stay further out then the Common eiders, prefering deeper waters. They also like the northern part of the Varanger Peninsula very much, with Båtsfjord harbour as a prime location to experience them at close range. The Stellers Eiders prefer more shallow waters, and have their favoured places from Ekkerøy to Vadsø and Nesseby - Inner Varanger fjord. The large rafts of Common Eiders are found mostly from Ekkerøy (mid Varanger Fjord) to Vardø, outer Varanger Fjord. However all species are found all around the Varanger Peninsula, often in semi-mixed flocks.  In winter and early spring finding them is a very easy task. 

Common Eiders and Steller´s Eiders surfing the waves in gale force winds, photo taken from the Biotope office 28.02.2012.

Lately we have found ourselves doing too much time working and little time birding. We have many projects going on both in Finnmark and other parts of Norway. All bird-related, of course, ranging from mapping and analysing to exhibition design and bird hide / wind shelter projects. This is why we live in Varanger: we are surrounded by spectacular birdlife, so even if the work days are long we can enjoy great nature experiences from our office window. 

Photo above from Biotope office window, taken with Nikon d300s + 50mm F1.4