Earlier in the week, James had carried out a count on the "floods " on the reserve at Gruinart. Bird totals were as follows, 511 Teal, 2 Little Grebe, 13 Whooper Swan, 12 Mute Swan, 79 Pintail, 51 Mallard, 65 Greylags, 6 Gadwall, 4 Heron, 129 Wigeon, 41 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 1 Red breasted Merganser, 373 Lapwing and 25 Golden Plover. Yesterday he a Canada Goose, hutcihnsii sp in the one of the fields beside his house at Grainel on the reserve.
Peter was in touch to say that the recent sightings of Glaucous and Iceland Gulls is the largest influx of these "white winged gulls" into Europe ever in the history of modern birding! He also commented that this was "by far the most unuasual and significant birding phenomenon in the 12 years he has been here on Islay." These gulls have even been seen in large numbers as far South as Portugal and Spain. Thanks to Peter for that.
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