Divers on the way to the Bank!

[dbozkurt]

Hi

Was going to bank today and it took me 2hrs and a change of clothes!!! I still haven't got to my Coot Loch!!

The cash point wasn't working so in my huff I decided to walk back along the beach. I saw so many birds and some unusual but I will leave that to later as waiting to go back out to the Loch looking for my Lesser Scaup!!

See if you can tell me what these birds are, I think they may be a pair of Northern Divers. The first two pictures are of the bird of the left in the pair photo. Sorry so blurred but they were a long way out! Are they a mating pair? Different colouring...first thought they might be a yellow billed Diver but I think they may be too dark.

Over to you!

Debs

[GuyF]

I'd say both are Great Northern Divers. It's possible that they will be a breeding pair but otherwise they are just sticking together for the winter before they head up to Iceland or Greenland. I saw a couple of these today as well, great birds!
Guy

[aeshna5]

Guy's correct- Great Northern Divers. White-billed Divers have an upturned, almost banana like pale yellow/ivory bill. The only one I've seen goes back to my twitching days + was in Sunderland area with a Laughing Gull nearby for good measure.

You're in a good part of the country to see one- there appears to be a small spring passage, so keep your eye open for one over the next few weeks!