King eider ducks out of staying away from Moray

The king eider has been photographed in Moray

A king eider duck has returned to the coast on Moray for another season, RSPB Scotland has said.

The king eider is usually seen some distance out to sea.

However photos of the bird - a male which was regularly seen last year - sheltering in Burghead harbour have been taken.

Alan Tissiman, of RSPB Scotland, said: "You can see why this bird is called a king eider. He really is quite royally spectacular".

'Rare visitors'

He explained: "King eiders breed in Greenland and Siberia so he has certainly travelled quite some way to reach the Moray coast.

"King eiders are regular, if rare, visitors to Scottish waters, most years one or two are recorded.

"They tend to associate with common eiders while they are here, as this one seems to be doing."