First "sign in " with Grey lag Geese.

It didn't start off that way, but a young Grey lag Goose walking along the road above the house, which leads across a section of grass moor, suggested I perhaps ought to check on the overall situation as far as emerging numbers were concerned. The young bird flew off strongly incidentally, goodness knows what the story was behind that situation!!

So I visited a variety of areas in NW Islay and counted the Grey lag Geese on show. As yet they don't seem to have joined up together and formed the composite flocks which have been a feature of years previously. Having said that , birds are mobile and parties flying across Loch Indaal, southwards down Loch Gruinart and across the wide vicinity of Loch Gorm proved that to be the case. Totals in the Loch Gorm/Gruinart area were in accord with recent observations and, otherwise, all over, parties appeared to be very much hefted to their usual area be that at Ellister, Claddach or around Loch Gorm. Strangely enough, at least today, none appeared to be utilising the saltmarsh flats at Bridgend.

The most interesting observations otherwise were a Greenshank heard at Loch Gruinart and a couple of immature Wigeon on a lens of water on the otherwise rather lushly vegetated pools at the RSPB Gruinart Reserve.