Red throated Divers or Red throated Loons Gavia stellata, Shetland
The summer plumage of the Red-throated Diver (or Red-throated Loon) Gavia stellata is something wonderful to behold, but there is every likelihood that this gorgeous bird will be observed in poor light. However, one evening during a Shetland Wildlife holiday the author was treated to relatively close views of a pair in bright evening sunshine when he went for a walk along the beach of St. Magnus' Bay, and it was coming from the right direction too, meaning that the intricate details of the feathers could be seen clearly. Suffice to say that this was the only such sighting, and whenever the author has seen them on other occasions they have usually been silhouetted!
