P&B Bird Watch

[Clockwork 181]

It looks like a diver but its plumage doesn't seem right for any of our native species even with winter plumage. I am also stumped.

“In their winter plumage, Black-throated Divers have more uniformly dark upper parts. Their underparts are white, and a white thigh patch is often prominent. They also have white colouring on their throats and on their cheeks below their eyes. Their bills are pale grey and their legs are paler than in the summer, but their irises remain red”.

(Source; Nature Gate)

[Pato 12,748]

“In their winter plumage, Black-throated Divers have more uniformly dark upper parts. Their underparts are white, and a white thigh patch is often prominent. They also have white colouring on their throats and on their cheeks below their eyes. Their bills are pale grey and their legs are paler than in the summer, but their irises remain red”.

(Source; Nature Gate)

Black front of throat and black ring to its face doesn't seem to match either summer or winter. Still stumped.

[Wile E Coyote 839]

No way is it a BTD. Nothing is right for it. Its a cormorant taken at a strange angle

[Deanburn Dave 1,639]

Cormorants sit higher in the water on canals. Diving in deep water causes them to lose buoyancy. Spending a lot of time in the water causes them to lose buoyancy. I reckon this one's been sunning itself and preening and then jumped in the water when a photo opportunity came along.

[The Mantis 2,912]

If that's facing you I can't see it being any kind of diver by the bill shape. Here's a GND and all divers have pretty similar bills. 

To me it's more like some kind of hybrid duck, or a cormorant at a strange angle as coyote says.

Edited March 15, 2020 by The Mantis

[Clockwork 181]

Black front of throat and black ring to its face doesn't seem to match either summer or winter. Still stumped.

Would it be unusual for a Black Throat not to completely lose its summer plumage or possible for it to start developing its summer colouring as early as mid-March?

[Wile E Coyote 839]

1 minute ago, Clockwork said:

Would it be unusual for a Black Throat not to completely lose its summer plumage or possible for it to start developing its summer colouring as early as mid-March?

No, but no matter what plumage its in it still is a lot more white than this bird

[Pato 12,748]

I wish we called divers loons like Americans do. Sounds nicer.

[Clockwork 181]

very good shout - i instinctively thought of a great northern because of way it's sat in the water, but the grey (and the black throat ) suits your call much better - only thing is, it should have a white patch towards its arse-end at this time of year ????
https://www.bto.org/develop-your-skills/bird-identification/videos/bto-bird-id-winter-divers

Yep, it’s a shame you can’t just make out a little more of its flanks & undercarriage, it’s still a good spot and shot though!

[Rizzo 1,828]

Not convinced it's a goosander or a BTD, the head plumage reminds me a bit of a red legged partridge but I wonder if it's some sort of ornamental duck species that's gone walk about from a farm or wildlife park somewhere. Weird one for sure.

Edited March 16, 2020 by Rizzo

[Rizzo 1,828]

Great cormorant in breeding plumage.

[Pato 12,748]

Great cormorant in breeding plumage.

Oooooooh that's a long way from home!

[Rizzo 1,828]

Just now, MixuFixit said:

5 minutes ago, Rizzo said:

Great cormorant in breeding plumage.

Oooooooh that's a long way from home!

It's the only thing I've found that looks even remotely similar. Looking at the photo again the tail is so low that it surely can't be a duck or goose.

Might be rambling nonsense.

[sugna 977]

11 hours ago, mathematics said:

Forth and Clyde canal, near lambhill. Dived for a while. Long straight beak, and quite flat. 

Still veering towards thinking that it is probably less unlike a cormorant than it is unlike anything else. If I didn't have my new piano arriving today, I might have taken a drive out to try and find it.

[Hedgecutter 8,205]

A Yellow Wagtail just visited my garden.

Never seen one until now and from what I can see from online it's pretty rare to see them north of the Forth, never mind Aberdeenshire.  Lost on his way home from Africa perhaps? 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Hedgecutter

[hearthammer 3,729]

Webcam now fully functioning for the Osprey nest at Loch of the Lowes.  All that's missing is the adults returning, although i believe that could be any time soon.  Fascinating viewing once the main performers make their appearance

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam-2/

[Always the Sons 71]

Webcam now fully functioning for the Osprey nest at Loch of the Lowes.  All that's missing is the adults returning, although i believe that could be any time soon.  Fascinating viewing once the main performers make their appearance
https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam-2/

Agree it is fascinating. They have a picture up of the male who arrived yesterday. They reckon female will arrive this week. What’s amazing is that when they split last August to head back to Africa they don’t see each other again till they come back to the same nest. They mate for life.
When eggs hatch and he arrives with fish it’s some sight !

[hearthammer 3,729]

8 minutes ago, Always the Sons said:

Agree it is fascinating. They have a picture up of the male who arrived yesterday. They reckon female will arrive this week. What’s amazing is that when they split last August to head back to Africa they don’t see each other again till they come back to the same nest. They mate for life.
When eggs hatch and he arrives with fish it’s some sight !

Didn't see the male's arrival.  There was a raven-type bird at the nest for a while last night, but it left after raking around and exploring the nest.  Will be following developments as often as i can from now on.    👍

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tamthebam 9,959]

Thanks to Wikipedia I now know there is a Scandinavian sub species of yellow wagtail called motacilla flava thunbergi. I don't think it's named after Greta though.

I saw a couple of yellow wagtails on the Teviot at Hawick 3 or 4 years ago. They seem to like rivers. With global warming and a mild winter perhaps they're able to tolerate Aberdeenshire now?

[Wile E Coyote 839]

2 hours ago, Hedgecutter said:

A Yellow Wagtail just visited my garden.

Never seen one until now and from what I can see from online it's pretty rare to see them north of the Forth, never mind Aberdeenshire.  Lost on his way home from Africa perhaps? 

Don't want to piss on your chips and I am not sure what your birding ability is but are you sure it wasn't a Grey Wagtail (which is actually quite  yellow). Its  very early in the year for a yellow wagtail and would be a very rare sight in Aberdeenshire at any time, so much so it should be reported to your local bird reporter

Edited March 22, 2020 by Wile E Coyote