The Arnol area of Lewis is a traditional Greenland White-fronts wintering quarter. Today I located 22 birds there in their usual field. Where they get to the rest of the winter is pretty much anyones guess.
But though I was searching for White-fronts, these were not top of the agenda today. Tristan ap Rheinallt saw 32 European White-fronts in the area the day before. Following a small group in Ness earlier in the winter which were the first Lewis records of this ‘form’ of grey goose, and part of an influx into Britain. No sign of this flock today but nearby 4 European White-fronts at Brue Grazings (just to the east of Arnol)
Additionally eight ‘Whitefronts’ in flight at RSPB Loch na Muilne, Arnol, may well have Europeans, but murky drizzle and lack of a ‘cheese and pickle’ guard on my binoculars meant they headed of into the yonder without a solid ID.
On the way home it brightened enough for me to get some shots of the Brue European birds. Note the pale fringing on the upper parts and pink, rather than orange, bill
A very buff 1w Iceland Gull was at Bragar Bay.
Looks like the middle one’s longing to be back up the Butt!