15-03-2018, 11:07 AM
1501
Re: Birds
Cuddy Duck. or Eider.
According to folklore the ducks nestled on St Cuthbert’s feet during the long cold Northumbrian winters on Holy Island (Lindisfarne). He was so very grateful, he decreed the species should be protected. This is believed to be one of the very first acts of conservation.
The female has very different plumage and this one was nesting on the Farne Islands right beside the walkway.