Diver chicks

"The black-throated divers have finally hatched their second brood of the season. They are nearly a month behind all the other chicks and the parents have their work cut out to raise them. Their parentling skills need a bit of work since, although the youngsters can swim, their fluffy down is not waterproof and heavy rain could easily drown them.

The loch is a good nursery for all sorts of fish - which in turn makes it a great place for the divers to rear their chicks. With such rare birds, every chick counts: they need to be fed up fast and kept safe from the hungry pine martens that patrol at the edge of the loch, looking for fledglings and nestlings.