Great Northern Diver

I eventually got to see the Great Northern Diver(s) reported last week by Rob and again by Gus and Jon and if I'd been sitting on the right rock near Scurdie Ness I could have got a great photo. Instead I saw the bird close in but couldn't get near without it moving away when it saw some walkers on the rocks. On the way back along the track I amused myself taking photos of Linnet families, Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings before moving on to the Basin where the tide was ebbing.


Great Northern Diver video, HD if selected, click here to play

Great Northern Diver from the DSLR at distance

Great Northern Diver also at distance but using the optical and digital zoom on my Canon SX60 and less noisy than the DSLR. My fault no doubt with over ambitious settings

Linnet male being hassled for food by one of three chicks pursuing him around the sedge on the Scurdie Ness road

Linnet chick

Meadow Pipit 

Reed Bunting male

A Dunnock chick which looks to be soaked from foraging on the damp ground below the sedge

Eider with two of her brood, her and another had fifteen ducklings in a creche

Same Eider with more of the ducklings

New life in the field at the Lurgies, a Belted Galloway calf

It's much easier to photograph these large animals, perhaps I need to go on safari!

Speeding up the river at Scurdie Ness, from one of the support boats anchored off Montrose