Great Northern Diver, Crowland, Lincs, 17.11.04. Take a look at the 'split nostril' in this photo. I'm not sure why divers go in for this, but if anyone else knows, please leave a comment.
I could hardly sleep on Tuesday night. Just as I was leaving the office an e-mail came in reporting a Great Northern Diver on the River Welland at Crowland, Lincs (ie. well within the PBC area and a chance for a PBC tick). I hastily arranged with Bogbumper for her to pick me up at dawn to be at the bridge over the raging Welland at first light. Then, I just couldn't sleep - I suffer from 'loonacy', I'm mad for divers!
But I needn't have worried. When we arrived before sunrise on Wednesday (17.11.04), the juvenile Great Northern was still there, regularly fishing and generally acting confident and bold. A pair of Great Crested Grebes weren't too fond of it. One of them dived under the diver and attacked it from below, causing it to flap and paddle across the river. That was as flamboyant as it got, as far as action was concerned, though.
Incidentally, the grebes went a bit further downstream for a while and engaged in a bit of early 'penguin-dance' courtship.
Here are some of the various poses the diver indulged in at lunchtime when we returned for seconds. For larger, more classical portraits, check out Weedon
It engaged in a spot of preening...
Riding the high waves of the mighty Welland...
and searching for fish: it's 'Loon-Nessy'!...
Looking at us...
Or just looking good, like only a cool loon can...
Hurrah for Weedonian PBC tick number 206. This GND was the second of its species in the PBC area this year. In the first winter period a confiding bird took up residence at Baston & Langtoft pits. Unfortunately it stayed on private pits, so very few local birders got to see it (but we can all enjoy the current beaut). A Red-throated Diver was reported from Ferry Meadows at the start of the year. Last year, two divers were on the Nene near the Dog-in-a-Doublet (near Whittlesey and the Nene Washes): a long-staying Black-throated and aone-day Red-throated Diver with an over-elongate bill.
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