Holy Diver!

Not the classic debut album from Dio, but the White-billed Divers on the Moray Firth. I encountered these my recent trip around the Scottish Highlands over 3rd-7th May. It's taken me a while to sort through my photos from that trip. And now I have, I think these beauties deserve a post of their own.

White-billed Diver, Moray Firth off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, Scotland - Sunday 4th May 2014

Such striking birds, with their fantastic Great Northern Diver plumage and massive ivory bills held aloft in a similar way to Red-throated Divers. A real highlight of the trip.

We were out on the Gemini Explorer from Buckie - a well-equipped boat complete with a marine biologist on board to help with avian and cetacean ID. This was useful as we saw a Minke Whale and six Harbour Porpoise on the trip too. Recommended.

 Gemini Explorer, Buckie Harbour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland - Sunday 4th May 2014

We also saw several Great Northern Diver, three Black-throated Diver and a Red-throated Diver during the trip, but none close enough to photograph. Plus Common Seal, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Common Scoter, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Kittiwake, Cormorant, Shag, and three Long-tailed Duck in the harbour.