Duvet the duck back in Appledore

By [lchurchill]

A RARE visitor to Appledore has returned...and it's not a member of the Jackson family.

Duvet the eider duck, first appeared in the fishing village in the spring and has now made his way back.

The ducks are occasionally found in the South West during the winter months, but generally don't live further south than Scotland.

After spending between six to eight weeks waddling around Appledore's slipway in the spring, he disappeared, but he has returned to the village this month.

Local resident Will Hilditch, has been watching the duck and believes that he may be here to stay.

Mr Hilditch came up with the name Duvet, as they are filled with eiderdown - collected from the abandoned nests of the eider duck.

He said: "I have looked on some twitching sites and I think Duvet went to Northern Ireland as one was spotted there on his own.

"Now he is back in Appledore he is spending time going between the Skern and to The Beaver Inn, floating and swimming."

Roger Doble, chairman of the Devon Bird Watching and Preservation Society said: "When the eider was spotted last February this was a remarkable sighting as it was the first of this species ever recorded in Devon.

"It stayed around and became very proficient at diving for crabs.

"The bird has now returned to Appledore and its stage of development is now equivalent to that of a spotty teenager. With just a little more maturity it will develop almost full adult plumage, and by next spring will be quite stunning if it stays around."