Black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica)

OTHER NAMES: Arctic Loon, Black-throated Loon

Latin Etymology: Gavia (name in Latin for an unidentified seabird) arctica ("Arctic")

Winter plumage adult Black-throated Diver (subspecies G. a. arctica) at Swithland Reservoir, Leicestershire - January 2014

Featured Subspecies: Gavia arctica arctica

Weight: 2-3.2kg  /  Length: 68-73cm  /  Wingspan: 120cm

UK AMBER LIST / LEAST CONCERN - IUCN Red List

Also known as the Arctic Loon and the Black-throated Loon.  Theoretically at least, the black-throated diver is the rarest of the three divers found regularly in the UK, but as I've found the theoretical easiest to track down the hardest to find (the red-throated) I wouldn't read too deeply into that information.  The divers generally seem to be fairly frustrating to get hold of unless you have the fortune to live in the places they turn up; generally along the coast or at certain reservoirs - trying to make one off trips to catch up with them often results in them not being found when you get there.  The black-throated diver itself is intermediate between the great northern and red-throated - the Summer plumage of any should be fairly easy to differentiate but in the Winter plumage, the beak is probably the best quick diagnostic to go from - the Great Northern has the sword like proportions of heron bill, the black-throated is more slender and like a grebe and the Red-throated has a distinct upwards turn to it.

 - Related Species -
ORDER: Gaviiformes
FAMILY: Gaviidae
GENUS: Gavia
SUBSPECIES: G. a. arctica, G. a. pacifica, G. a. viridigularis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce Breeding Species (190-250 pairs) and Scarce Winter Migrant (approx. 560 birds)

 - Vagrant bird seen at Swithland Reservoir (1 Winter plumage adult in 2014) .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

OTHER NAMES: Velvet Duck

Latin Etymology: Melanitta ("black duck") fusca ("dusky/black/brown")

Two female Velvet Scoter (subspecies M. f. fusca) at Swithland Reservoir, Leicestershire - December 2012

Featured Subspecies: Melanitta fusca fusca
Weight: 1.1-2.1kg  /  Length: 51-58cm  /  Wingspan: 86-99cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

The Rarest of the UK's Seaducks, and for me at least, the most difficult of the British ducks to see in general (although the Ruddy Duck with its ongoing cull may take that role soon).  Velvet Scoters are large dark ducks which are often seen mingled with the (more numerous but still comparatively rare) Common Scoter.  They can be differentiated by the white patches on their wings in flight, or smaller ones on the faces of both genders and towards the back end of males.  They do occasionally turn up inland (such as these ones) but, are mostly found at sea on the East coast North of the Wash during Winter.  They are considered internationally endangered although their population here is only listed as Amber List.  A handsome bird, be sure to look for some good photos of them as these don't do them justice.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Melanitta
Subspecies: M. f. fusca, M. f. deglandi, M. f. stejnegeri

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and local Wintering species (2500 birds)

 - Vagrant birds seen at Swithland Reservoir (2 adults in December 2012) .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .