King Eider Harbour

Båtsfjord: the King’s Harbour

Twice I have donned brightly coloured Arctic jumpsuits and headed out in a zodiac from a base in Båtsfjord Harbour on the exposed northern fringe of Varanger, Arctic Norway. Both represent unique Arctic experiences. The first was the ‘Blue Fulmar Pelagic’ in May 2011. The second, (last week) was one of the closest encounters with Arctic Sea Duck currently available on the planet. Båtsfjord kinda means ‘innermost part of the fjord’. It could also be dubbed ‘THE KING’S HARBOUR’.

Both events involve local ex-fisherman turned bird guide, Ørjan Hansen and of course Tormod Amundsen. Here’s a wee vid explaining what’s happened from inside the magic floating bird hide. You’ll hopefully get a ‘real time’ feel of what the views and experience is like:

Tormod’s post here is well worth a read with full detail of the vision developing and how the hide eventually went from crazy idea to awesome reality. READ here

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This video show just how close the birds can be:

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A first summer male (2cy) King Eider

Trying to photograph a male Steller’s Eider but the male King kept trying to butt in in on the action!

female Steller’s Eider have a marvelously richly patterned plumage and the bill looks liquid with a fish lips bill tip. Positively prehistoric appearance at times.

Male and female Long-tailed Duck were part of the action too

drake Common Eider. Plenty of these completed the seaduck set.

2 Little Auk were close in the harbour and had begun moulting into breeding plumage.

These Glaucous Gulls, and Iceland Gull and bunch of Northern Herring Gulls were amoung the larids present.

The harbour, though, still belonged to the KING: