Have you ever heard of the spectacled eider? This unusual duck belongs in the icy waters of Alaska and eastern Siberia. And yet... one suddenly swam near Texel in January 2025! A first for Western Europe and, of course, a unique opportunity for bird lovers.

A bird with glasses?

The spectacled eider, also known as the Somateria fischeri, gets its name from the striking white patches around its eyes, which make it look as if it is wearing glasses. The male has a black and white head, a green glow on its neck and a brown band across its bill. He normally dives for shellfish and starfish in distant cold seas, but now he chooses Texel's waters for a while. How it ended up here? That remains a mystery.

Birdwatchers flock to Texel

The spectacled eider was first seen in the Wadden Sea near the IJzeren Kaap by birders Elian Hijne and Maurice Prins. After that, things moved quickly. The news spread like wildfire, and birders from the Netherlands and abroad jumped on boats to come and see it with their own eyes. Even birders from England, Belgium and Spain came people to Texel to catch a glimpse of this special wanderer. Among others, NRC, Trouw and RTL Boulevard reported.

How long will he stay?

Well, nobody knows. Maybe he'll have flown by the time you read this, maybe he'll stick around for a while. Want to see it for yourself? Keep an eye on Waarneming.nl for the latest updates. For now, the duck was seen in the Wadden Sea and the Wagejot.

Enjoy, but with respect

Having such a unique bird on Texel is of course fantastic, but it is important to give it the peace and quiet it needs. So enjoy the moment, but watch it from a distance and let nature take its course. Are you a birder or just think it would be interesting to see such a special species? This is your chance to experience a piece of birding history on Texel.

The main photo at the top of this page was taken by Rodny Stolk.

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