The Red-throated Diver is probably the most common of the divers we see on the north-east coast. They dive for fish offshore, sometimes coming in quite close (if you're lucky). They dive for quite a long time, surface in the completely different place, and then dive again almost immediately so they can be a bit tricky to spot. The best time to view them is when they are sat on the water preening.

In winter plumage, diver species are quite difficult to tell apart as they are all fairly bland shades of grey. The Red-throated Diver is very pale, and its black neck is very narrow compared to other divers.

In summer plumage however, they are really spectacular. They have a red throat (hence the name) and a lovely striped neck, grey head and red eyes. You can usually recognise a Red-throated Diver all year round by the shape of it's bill, which has a definite upwards slant.