Yet the truth was much more unlikely. Six times since Christmas the crazed dancer had held a lone vigil, staring at the same piece of sea, 6 times he had meticulously looked through 20,000 tiny black dots which he insisted were Common Scoter, as if searching for some unseen quarry. Occasionally he would twitch a little, the only indication that he had picked out a Velvet Scoter, but on each of the previous visits he had left feeling a little disappointed.
Even today, he had been there for 90 minutes and seen nothing new when a passing heavy rain shower convinced him to pack up and go. But this time he didn't go. He waited for the shower to pass and then had another look. Still nothing new. Finally, after another 30 minutes he decided that he was just going to point the telescope in a random direction, identify every bird he could see in the view and then go.
Immediatley he saw it, a black dot with a white square on the back of its head. He looked closer. There could be no doubt, he had found what he most desired. A drake Surf Scoter! The celebrations began, a legend was born....
The offshore wind farm from Llanddullas, with a seemingly birdless sea in the foreground, yet actually there are thousands of birds in this photo. Look more closely...
Todays Surf Scoter was my third in the UK, but my first for many years, and was actually quite a decent view, on a largely flat calm sea. All scoter are wonderful birds, and Surf is particularly wierd! There are some great photos of Surf Scoter here. My joy today was in part because I've tried so hard to see one this year, and also because it completed a wonderful afternoons birding. Also at Llanddulas today, at least 2 Velvet Scoter and 3 Red-throated Divers. Year 146.
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