White-billed
Diver Gavia adamsii
1997 Portland Bill, age uncertain, 13th March.
White-billed
Diver at Portland Bill:
A new species for Dorset.
Martin Cade Warden Portland Bird Observatory
The 13th March 1997 dawned calm, mild and completely
overcast. After going through a typical routine of opening a few nets,
setting up the telescope and making a cup of tea, I walked out onto
the observatory patio and noticed a large diver approaching from the
east. The bird was over the land, some 100-200 metres away, and at
a height of 50-100 metres. Moving to look through the telescope and
exspecting to get a good view of a Great Northern Diver, I was astonished
to see that the bird was a White-billed Diver. It passed side-on right
past me and carried on away westwards having been in view for perhaps
30 seconds in total.