I was just beginning to wonder what I could write about for this week’s column, when Andy asked if I fancied a wee outing.

He said we were going to Loanhead quarry, and we would need to pick up a box and a towel. When I asked what we were going for, he replied, "A red-throated diver". Needless to say I thought he was joking!

As we arrived at reception we must have been expected, as a door opened and Andy was waved in. He had the box tucked under his arm. Just minutes later out he came, a big grin on his face, and guess what, a red-throated diver in the box.

The bird was found in the quarry this morning, scrabbling about on the rocky surface. Their legs are as far back on the body as they can be.

This means that when the bird is swimming it gets a huge thrust with each paddle. This is useful when fishing, but not so good for walking.

Divers nest on the very edge of islands, often on moorland lochs in the Highlands. They scramble ashore and settle down to incubate their eggs in a nest scraped just above water level.

Once the chicks have hatched they take to the water. They are quite at home there. They are fed by their parents, and young divers can often be seen hitching a lift on mum’s back.

Hopefully our ‘loon’ will be back on the sea soon.