White-billed Diver at Broughty Ferry

  
On a second attempt to find the White-billed Diver at Broughty Ferry I decided to start at the Stannergate end and walk east to Broughty Harbour. On my previous visit I walked from Broughty Ferry Castle to Stannergate and back with too much kit and no sign of the diver.

Despite some pessimism, a flat sea and an ebbing tide, I picked out the diver a fair way out and directly south of Balmyle Road and Beech Lane. As Olive and I approached the diver obliged and came more inshore and on a few dives close enough to get photos into weak sunlight on "the Silvery Tay".

Yet another rarity to add to Olive's list which includes Black Stork, Glossy Ibis, Grey Phalarope and Ross's Goose....

I've posted a few photos as it will be a very long time if ever, before White-billed Divers to turn up inshore again, not in my lifetime!

Long-billed Dowitcher - with sun on its back!

   
The long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher has stayed faithful to the area behind the Bridge End Garage, "Mops Pool" and Rossie Spit. On Monday it was feeding as the tide rose and being pushed up the ditch as the mud was covered, until it flew with some Redshanks towards the shade off the roadside hill and trees. Not before I managed a few photos and three videos.

Dowitcher - 22 seconds        Dowitcher - 61 seconds        Dowitcher - 47 seconds

Long-billed Dowitcher

Montrose Basin, Keptie Pond and Broughty Ferry

   
I tidied up some photos taken when the weather behaved for a short while, and I was trying out some new kit before I found something rare and important.

Goldeneye drake, Lurgies

Dunlin flock over Miss Erskine's Bank, Montrose Basin

and now the underwing view

Later at Keptie Pond, Arbroath. Grey Heron, one of nine present

A rare visit at Keptie from a Redshank

On a cold windy day at Broughty Ferry the reported White-billed Diver didn't show, so I photographed this Shag

and a Common Gull

and one of 35+ Turnstones

and a female Red-breasted Merganser