31st March 'The search for the White Billed Diver'

Alex and I went on a short trip along the Moray coast in search of the White Dilled Divers that that have been seen off Sandend, Portsoy and Cullen.

We started at Sandend harbour - there was little to be seen mostly Long-tailed Ducks and Shags.  A fellow birder arrived to say that the best place for them was at the castle a little to the west.  We followed him to the car park and set off on the walk to the cliff top.  Another birder was just walking back so, as you do, we stopped for a chat.  These conversations usually start with 'whats about'  this one started 'Have you seen the White Billed Diver'.  The answer was 'No'.  Alex and I continued to the edge of the land.  Our original guide turned back, he had decided to take his dog for a walk instead.  At the end of the land we had a 180 degree view of the Moray Firth and built into the cliff face was Findlater Castle

Alexs' photo of Findlater Castle

We spent a long time scanning the sea for our Diver.  Again there were plenty of Long-tailed Ducks and Shags.  There was one very distant Diver and even with telescopes it was impossible to be more specific than that.

Our next port of call was Cullen.  Here we were not high up  we didn't get as good a look at the sea.  Again there were no Divers.  There were Long-tailed Ducks and Shags.
A bonus was a pod of Dolphins.

Dolphins

 

Shag on the Rocks

Rather tan call it a day with no White Billed Divers we called into Portsoy on our way back along to coast toward home.  Again there were Long-tailed Ducks and Shags and one Diver fly past and again it was not possible to identify the species.

But here is a photo of a purple boat leaving Portsoy Harbour.

Soy Quine

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