Lake Bled, Slovenia, June 2023 (1 Viewer)

[Richard Prior]

A friend has just got back from Slovenia and has a query on the id. of a bird he saw on the lake, he thought Red throated Diver but that would be unusual on such a date and to me it looks a better fit for Black throated with that bill (though that‘s also very unusual I would think in June).The usual suspects at this location are Great Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant and Shag I think.
Living up in the Alps I am seriously out of practice with all things web-footed so am not too proud to throw this one out here! What does the team think?
Merci tout le monde!
Richard (on behalf of Tom)

 

[Butty]

I agree with you.
Odd series of poses... Didn't he get one of it just sitting in the water?! - that would have been much more helpful.

 

[Richard Prior]

I agree with you.
Odd series of poses... Didn't he get one of it just sitting in the water?! - that would have been much more helpful.

Hahah, not one unfortunately, though I’m surprised he was carrying any optical/photographic gear as he was on a ‘cycle/back packing’ ride through Slovenia and Italy and back into Switzerland (sounds like torture to me!).
Thanks for confirming I still have a tiny bit of ability re. identifying watery birds!

 

[Hotspur]

Looks to be Black-throated Diver with the caveat that im not sure Pacific can be totally ruled out from these photos, although unlikely.

 

[Richard Prior]

Thanks All, does it look to be in heavy moult? If so, that might explain its unseasonal presence

 

[Mark Lew1s]

I don't think it looks like it is moulting its primaries at least - and it's the wrong time of year for it to be in any kind of moult. I think it's just an immature bird, which might go some way towards explaining why it isn't on the breeding grounds.

 

[Richard Prior]

I don't think it looks like it is moulting its primaries at least - and it's the wrong time of year for it to be in any kind of moult. I think it's just an immature bird, which might go some way towards explaining why it isn't on the breeding grounds.

Schoolboy error on my part Mark, Prior’s id. howler No.74 Wet feathers must mean heavy moult However, according to the eBird presence bar chart for the species it’s been recorded in June before, in every month of the year in fact!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

a feature of 2cy Black-throated Diver according to literature is a dark stripe across the lower neck, which seems to lack in this bird. I dont have experience how reliable and/or frequent this is.

Please compare to this bird (13.05.2009, Schwetzinger Wiesen, SW-Germany) and note how difficult it is to see on low quality pictures (no offence Alex you know. Yes Alex, I know)

https://flic.kr/p/2oJLjWu

https://flic.kr/p/2oJPqEb

https://flic.kr/p/2oJRhUr

 

[Mark Lew1s]

I think that’s a subtle feature, and in these overexposed pics where the neck is stretched, and the bird isn’t really facing us, it’s always going to be very hard to see.