A winter walk with an unpleasant ending

Making a friend and losing her on the same day

Walking along the coast of Terschelling never ceases to surprise.
Me and my family were about halfway our goal when we found a common eider (Somateria mollissima) lying close to the dunes.

Now, eiders are not only beautiful but also very interesting. Being the largest duck found in Europe, it has a body length of around 60 cm The male and female are easily distinguished; males are mostly black-and-white (see picture), females fully brown. Their heads are very different in shape from other more common ducks. Eiders eat molluscs and crustaceans, often with the shell included.

We immediately knew there was something wrong; some hours ago I had spotted a group of eiders in the open sea, only visible with the help of my binoculars. This one was also far from the coastline, but in the opposite direction, and all alone. She was lying very still and seemed to have trouble swallowing. On the mainland in The Netherlands it is quite common to call the animal ambulance, which was non-existent here. I tried to give her some small part of a crab leg I found on the beach, but she showed no interest. My brother wanted to take the eider to the closest cafe, still at least four kilometers away, but I suggested leaving her close to the sea. In the end we decided on taking her with us. Unfortunately, she died in my brother´s arms after what seemed like a tough fight.

With the life of the eider, this story has also come to an end, but I am still left with a question. Why are dead, or dying animals (seals too) on the beach often found close to the dunes? Do they seek protection from predators, the weather or the wild sea while already being vulnerable, or could it actually be a cause of death? If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know in the comments!

More from me:
Story of a Passionate Biologist — Why am I on Medium?
5 Reasons Why Taking The Same Walk Never Ceases to Surprise
What I love about Terschelling — Exploring the beauty of a Dutch island

Stay updated for a post about the deer park in Aarhus!

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