Ducks enjoy mass dabble near Dunnet
A SCENIC spot in Caithness is proving popular with an impressive range of handsome ‘dabbling ducks’.
St John’s Pool, near Dunnet, has over the past month seen a variety of the birds visiting and, unusually, bird watchers are getting the chance to see up to seven different types in a day.
Dabbling ducks are happier with shallower and more restricted bodies of water than diving ducks. They search for their food sifting through surface water, up-ending in the shallow reaches and often dabbling in the mud.
Gadwall, shoveler, garganey, pintail, mallard, wigeon and teal have all been spotted in good numbers, along with shelducks, which are not officially ‘dabbling ducks’ but a pair have been seen regularly in front of the main hide and look likely to breed for the first time on record there.
Large numbers of nesting sandwich terns have also been seen this year on the site.
