08/03/2026 Blyth South Harbour, Blyth, Northumberland

White-billed Diver: My third white-billed diver (WBD), and the best one I've seen so far, the one that came the closest and showed the best!

WBD's are rare winter visitor to the UK, with around 20 to 30 birds recorded annually, primarily off the coast of northern Scotland, including Shetland, the Outer Hebrides, and Moray. 

WBD's are the largest of the UK divers, distinguished by a massive, pale, ivory coloured bill.  Breeding adults have black-and-white checkered backs; in winter, they are paler than great northern divers with a light, "fluffy" rear end 

There appears to be a bit of an influx of these bird this winter, with several in Scotland and along the East Coast in recent weeks.

 

23/01/2017 River Witham, Woodhall Spa, Lincs

White-billed Diver: What a day and what a superb bird. First let talk about the fog, yes the fog, this is now my third recent twitch hampered by fog. First it was the Dusky Thrush at Beeley then the Blue Rock Thrush at Stow and now this WBD.

When I arrived it was clear crisp day, but when I actually relocated the bird the fog drifted in and it was a white out!

The bird was ranging from right up to Kirkstead Bridge to about 5 miles North of on the River Witham. This is a relatively narrow river, so your guaranteed crippling views wherever the bird is found.

I remember when I used to kockabout with some young guys who they invited me on a twitch down to Devon to see a WBD in Brixham Harbour. At the time I turned this offer down and since then I thought I would only ever see a WBD at some distance in Scotland and never thought I would get such good views.

Here is one of my images I took through the fog before it thankfully it cleared up!

In the fog you couldn't really get to see how big and imposing this bird is, with it's sword like bill it is simply magnificent.