14.5th post for 2013: Islay & Jura: wildlife

Islay is notable in the winter for the geese in the winter and we saw thousands of  barnacles and white fronted geese.  Barnacle geese are named after goose barnacles which, in large groups, they resemble.  In the Middle Ages it was thought that the geese hatched out of the barnacles.  (Now I’ll have to go in search of goose barnacles!)

T’s

My picture of a hare – and Terry’s

T’s

Barnacle geese and a hare

 

This is my picture of a woodcock and below is one of Terry’s

T’s

T’s

 

It was enchanting to see these choughs

Whooper swans

White fronted geese

A diver in Bowmore harbour

Buzzard (T’s)

Dipper (T’s)

Stonechat (T’s)

Dunnock (T’s)

Fieldfare (T’s)

Seals

Roe deer (T’s)

Red deer stag (T’s)

Seaweed eating deer

Saving the best for last (all T’s)

Golden eagle

A telltale tail – an otter

Brilliant!

14th post for 2013: Islay & Jura: not wildlife (wildlife will be 14.5th post)

By the middle of October I felt the need for a break before Christmas.  Naturetrek  was running a “Beginners bird watching” trip to Islay & Jura in November and there was space.  There were only 5 punters and the guide, Terry.  The weather was reasonable and there were lots of birds, and the odd mammal.  Terry has sent me his wildlife pictures so, naughtily I’m including some of these in the blog.

 

On the way from Glasgow to Kennacraig – snow on the hills.

The Paps of Jura from Loch Gruinart, Islay

  At the Mull of Oa, Islay

Portnahaven, Islay

Sheltered gnomes at Portnahaven

The Kildalton cross: 1,300 years old and one of the finest early Christian crosses in Scotland

Packing crabs for Spain at Port Askaig.

Crossing from Port Askaig (Islay) to Fiolin (Jura)

The port of Feolin

Big lorry, little boat

Coming home from school

Life following art

The big ferry arriving at Port Askaig

The A846, Jura

Posing

The Paps of Jura

The end of the road on Jura

Eric Blair (George Orwell) wrote Nineteen Eighty Four at Barnhill.

The Paps of Jura

Craighouse – the “town” on Jura – a hotel, a distillery and a few houses.

View of the Paps at Craighouse

 

Murals in the bar at the Jura Hotel