I can't believe I've been back from Islay for a week. I said that I'd tell you about what we saw "tomorrow" and had fully intended to do that the next day, but you know how it goes! Fast, that's how! Meanwhile the clients who were in Japan have returned having had a fabulous time and those in the Falklands are just back after a super holiday but a seriously delayed flight home. With groups just about to leave for Cuba and South Africa, and my own tour (with clients) to South Africa, St Helena and Ascension also imminent, it really is all go!
The memory of those few days on Islay is just that - a memory. But it really was wonderful. I'm so lucky to have a very dear client from Holland who owns a goregous wee cottage at Bruichladdich, overlooking Loch Indaal, and he is always generous in allowing me to stay there if it's free. Just imagine sitting at breakfast and watching an otter swim past, closely followed by a second one. We also saw Red-throated and Black-throated Divers from the sitting room, along with Common Scoter (apparently not so common these days) and Merganzer. The most common winter Diver - the Great Northern - didn't put in an appearance.
Apart from some rain on the first morning, the weather was kind with temperatures up to 12 degrees and the odd bit of sunshine. As for the birds - well, we were incredibly lucky. As well as some 40,000 wintering geese (mostly Barnacle and White-fronted, but with a few Greylag and a dozen or so Brent) we saw an outrageously close first year Golden Eagle, Hen Harriers (both the stunningly beautiful male and a couple of females) and a brief glimpse of a male Merlin as it zoomed away from us. Close up encounters with Red and Fallow deer gave a diversion from birding for a while. Overall I saw 74 species of birds in just 3 days. Winter on Islay can really be fairly sensational!
Hi,
Great to read you had such a wonderful time on Islay. The birds really are amazing aren't they?
Best wishes
Ron
http://www.islayinfo.com
Posted by: Ron | Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 12:56 PM