Islay's Winter Wildfowl

The remote and beautiful Inner Hebridean island of Islay juts out like a finger from the west coast of Scotland, offering much in the way of landscape and character, making it a perfect getaway destination far from the rush of everyday life. Indeed it offers an intoxicating blend of superb wildlife-watching, stunning scenery and fresh Atlantic air, a truly unspoiled setting for some of the best and most iconic wildlife spectacles in the British Isles.

We will spend four nights here, enjoying the scenery and wildlife. Islay was described by the late Sir Peter Scott as ‘the most important place in the British Isles for wild geese, and one of the most important in Europe.’ The most southerly of the Inner Hebrides, Islay boasts a very varied landscape of mountains, moorland, woods and farmland, and has been described as the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’ — a fertile land teeming with breeding birds during the summer, and geese in the winter. It is during October when the geese start to arrive from their breeding grounds in the Arctic and, by November, Islay is heaving with wildfowl, among which the most numerous is the handsomely marked Barnacle Goose, which has been known to number up to 40,000 here. The next most numerous is the Greenland White-fronted Goose, and Islay holds the largest wintering population of this species anywhere in the world, with up to 10,000 birds being present! A dawn or dusk vigil at one of the goose roosts on the island is a humbling experience never to be forgotten, and among the vast flocks there is always the chance of finding something rarer, maybe a Snow Goose or ‘genuine’ Canada Goose from North America.

Other wildfowl also occur, and on the main sea lochs up to 1,000 Greater Scaup may be found. But it’s not only the wildfowl which are special here; other waterbirds we are likely to see include Great Northern and Black-throated Divers, Slavonian Grebe, Purple Sandpiper and Black Guillemot. Away from the water we will make a special effort to seek out Red-billed Chough, a small flock of Snow Bunting, and perhaps a roost of over 200 Ravens. Last, but not least, is the island’s remarkable variety of raptors, perhaps not surprising given the abundance of prey. During suitable flying weather, Golden Eagles are almost guaranteed and views can be nothing short of spectacular. Hen Harrier, Merlin and Peregrine are also regularly seen, while there is an outside chance of a wandering White-tailed Eagle. 

The superb single malt whiskies, which some argue are the finest in the world, are an added pleasure offered by this small Hebridean island. Alongside the superb scenery, truly spectacular wildfowl gatherings and a host of other wildlife, it’s easy to see why Islay is one of our favourite British destinations, and we’re sure you’ll share our enjoyment of this winter wildlife feast!