Red throated diver

The title refers to the extra, the reason why we went to this little lochan on Raasay.  It was the first time I had tried to wield Big Len in the field, and I realised it is not well designed for yomping across moorland and dense bracken beds - at least not in my current enfeebled state.  I managed a passable photo of the bird when it materialised from vegetation at the water's edge.  As S spotted it, A was walking back towards us saying "Nobody at home". It was lovely to see the diver relatively close and in handsome red throated breeding plumage, I am more used to seeing them in their winter greys on coastal waters, while looking for that sharply pointed, slightly upturned bill that distinguishes them from our other diver species.

We looked here last year without success.  This time we took a shorter route and losing the path in the bracken, we ended up going through the garden of a remote cottage.  A woman was sitting in the porch talking on the phone, she greeted us with a smile and a friendly wave.  We reflected on how different this reception was from what we normally expect in such circumstances at home.

Anyway, forget the diver, Gus as always was for me the real star of the walk.  Here he is sat amongst the deer grass and cotton grass.  It looks like he is intently watching me, but in fact he was collie-focussed on his surrogate sheep and collie pal Rowan.

Posted on 2 July 2017