I CAN'T RESIST IVORY GULLS! On my way to talk to the Skye Scottish Wildlife Trust group about Svalbard (of all places!) a detour took me to Ullapool, where at nearby Ardmair Salmon Farm a first winter Ivory Gull had been hanging around. It was originally found by one of the workers on the farm, who sent a photo taken on his Iphone to the local 'wildlife man' and the guys have been feeding it since then. As usual for Ivory Gulls, it was ridiculously confiding but it spent all the time I was there around the farm, which is in the lee of Isle Martin in Loch Kanaird and about 1km offshore. Also around here today were: Great Northern Loon (2); White-tailed Eagle; Glaucous Gull (3cy); Black Guillemot; Snow Bunting (2) of note as well as plenty of European Shags, Common Eiders; Goosanders and Rock Pipits. Driving through the Highlands for a couple of days was magic, the landscape turned into a white snowy winter wonderland and the roads only just cleared of ice and snow. On Skye itself an Iceland Gull (2cy) near Portree harbour was the only bird of note before the rain came down.
