A belated trip to Fife to see a Pacific Diver reported at Leven, which proved to be inconclusive with less birds overall than usual, and a view of a distant diver which probably was the Pacific, but we'll never though for sure. A return trip perhaps if it's reported again! I did see a Black-necked Grebe and a Slavonian Grebe, a small consolation....
On my way to Leven I stopped at Cameron Reservoir before the sunrise and luckily the drake Smew was near the dam and car park, and I managed to get a record video before the sun was up.
Another diversion on my way home was to Birnie and Gaddon Lochs near Collessie, a Ring-necked Duck female has over-wintered there. I didn't find it immediately but it appeared from the cover of a small island with a Wigeon.
Ring-necked Duck video 1 Wigeon feeding Ring-necked Duck preening Smew drake before sunrise
Ring-necked Duck video 1 Wigeon feeding Ring-necked Duck preening Smew drake before sunrise
Ring-necked Duck on Birnie Loch, Fife. It's been around since before Christmas apart from a short spell when the loch was frozen. It's ensconced in the northwest corner of the loch and viewable from next to the locked bird hide
It isn't quite so dark as the photos due to the shady corner it's in, and if it gets the sun on it then the wet plumage and white markings flare
A Smew drake, also a long-staying bird and on Cameron Reservoir a few miles south of St Andrews. There was a second one but it moved to the Eden Estuary when Cameron was almost covered in ice. Screen grab from the video above
I've added this Great black-backed Gull photo as it appears to have a very large bill, even for a very big gull. Probably the angle the bird's at and the shadow under its throat. I couldn't get closer due to a police incident at Arbroath harbour, which appeared to have been resolved with nobody hurt
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