Posted by Duncan on April 21, 2003 at 09:57:26 from 64.12.96.103 user Duncan.
In Reply to: Speaking of birds.... posted by Dan Lind on April 15, 2003 at 16:24:00:
Good heavens!
I was watching two Great Northern Divers last week (at a location in the South-West of Ireland that I will not disclose!!!) - there were lots of seals around too, and I had no idea they were in such mortal peril!
Incidentally, for those with an interest in such things, very unusually for British/Irish waters, these divers were very nearly in their full breeding plumage (and therefore would be recognisable to all GN readers - it can be difficult distinguishing divers in their drabber winter plumages, although once you've seen a few you get the hang of it) - and they had appeared to have 'paired off' (when I've watched Great Northerns in such southerly waters before they have been either solitary birds or in 'parties': I saw these two twice, and they were definitely together as a 'pair'. I'm not suggesting that I've come across the only known evidence of Great Northerns breeding in Ireland - they've got a month or so to realise they're supposed to be going to Iceland... Sadly, I can't go and check up on them because I was there on holiday. I go in October and Easter and invariably see divers - it's always difficult to convince myself that they haven't been there all along: they seem so much at home!
Duncan