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Posted by Toe on 08:52:14 12/27/11
In Reply to: Re: Pensacola King Eider Found Dead posted by Former BP employee
Could just be the heat. This birds spend their entire life on and in water that would kill most humans in minutes. The 75 degree temp in the gulf is probably way above its tolerance level, and definitely doesn't hold this species' usual food sources. We all get excited about these northern rarities showing up this far south, but the sad fact is that it's a pretty traumatic situation for some. Hopefully most make it back north in good health. Just recently, I've heard of flocks of scoters seen north of Cape Canaveral, heading north. They obviously realized they had flown too far south. Many of the waterfowl that were down here in October and November seemed to have left. Did they continue south? I don't think so. They probably went back north too. All we had in the Cutler Wetlands/Dump Marsh area this weekend were both teal, mottled, Am. wigeon, and a couple of others. We may be attached to N. America, but were are worlds away when it comes to climate and habitat. South Florida has more in common with the islands than it does with the rest of the continent in that regards. North Florida is different, but is still much warmer that Greenland, where the King Eider probably should have spent the winter. If this warm weather continues, I may go there myself!
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