A parting gift...

The thaw set in with a vengeance today, and by this afternoon much of the snow had melted. I would normally have forfeited my walk, as melting snow and mud are a treacherous and unpleasant combination. But yesterday evening Chris told me that  red-throated diver had been seen at the Rowing Lake, a parting gift from the Beast from the East, so I felt it was only polite to go and visit it.

Before I left the car-park I spotted one or two people with telescopes, so I guessed it was still around. There weren't too many birders, but they were all on the bank with a surfaced path, so I headed off to the far bank where it was quieter and muddier. I soon spotted the diver, who was living up to its name, busy diving for fish. It was leading the birders a merry dance, moving up and down the lake. I had a complete stroke of luck when it surfaced quite near me, enabling me to get quite a decent image, even though the conditions were very grey and murky (see extra).

After this the diver mostly stayed on the far side of the lake, but having got a reasonable shot, I decided to take my time and walk all the way round. By the time I reached its favoured area most of the other photographers had gone, and I had a wonderful time watching it splash and preen, gradually coming closer to the bank. I took a few action shots, but the light was dropping rapidly and by the time I took the main image it was raining. I know this one isn't quite as sharp as the extra, but I love the pose - I think it looks as though it's conducting an imaginary orchestra!