The annual arrival of the wintering Geese on Islay is always something to look forward to. It marks the start of the Autumn/Winter season and it usually takes place at the beginning of October. The Barnacle and Greenland White Fronted Geese have spent their summer on Greenland where they have raised their young. As soon as the winds are favourable, which is a north to north-westerly wind, they travel via Iceland to Islay where they first arrive at Loch Gruinart. That’s where they rest from their long and tiring journey. In an average winter around 50.000 Geese winter on the island. They feed on the rich grasslands before they return to the Arctic late April. For many birders this is the time to visit Islay and to witness this amazing spectacle of nature.
Barnacle Geese and Rainbow at the RSPB Nature Reserve at Loch Gruinart
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