With heavy snow from the start of the year, the beginning of any attempt to a fresh year list has been somewhat delayed. However, the snow does have its advantages, as today we arrived at a site covered in three feet of it, therefore, no chance of any work. Deeply saddened by this event, we thought best to cheer ourselves up by hitting the current Highland hotspot of Dornoch to scan the throng of ducks still residing offshore.
Despite not being seen since the 19th December, and having dipped twice, I was stunned to locate the drake Black Scoter relatively close inshore. We watched it for a good 30-minutes, trying desperately to get some decent footage and photos, whilst not to get too distracted by all the other goodies here.
With a dark cloud looming, we retreated and carried on home.
Totals:
Black Scoter - 1 drk
Surf Scoter - 2 (1 drk)
Velvet Scoter - 6
Common Scoter - ca. 1,000
Slavonian Grebe - 1
Scaup - ca. 50
King Eider - 1 1w drk
Goldeneye - 4
Tufted Duck - 1 (odd seeing one on the sea)
Long-tailed Duck - ca. 150
Red-breasted Merganser - 1
Eider - 1
Twite - 2
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| drk Black Scoter - rather undesirable images |
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| drk Surf Scoter just to the right of the lighthouse, female to the left hiding behind a Common Scoter |
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| Scaup and Long-tailed Ducks |
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| surfing Long-tailed Ducks |
