United Kingdom Ramsar wetland
Gruinart Flats SSSI
174 bird species recorded; the most in February and in October.
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30
This month here
115 species in January.126 species in February.124 species in March.114 species in April.123 species in May.108 species in June.92 species in July.91 species in August.95 species in September.135 species in October.119 species in November.119 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
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NTNTNTNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
174 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 174Speciesrecorded more than once
- 83Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 8ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 26,939Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 9Raptors
- 3Owls
- 28Waders
- 23Gulls & seabirds
- 31Ducks & geese
- 6Herons, ibises & grebes
- 57Songbirds
- 17Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 174 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
Owls3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Waders28 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisVU
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Little StintCalidris minuta
Gulls & seabirds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Common MurreUria aalge
- FulmarFulmarus glacialis
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- RazorbillAlca torda
- Great skuaStercorarius skua
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
Ducks & geese31 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollisVU
- Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Snow gooseAnser caerulescens
Herons, ibises & grebes6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Songbirds57 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Great titParus major
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- TwiteLinaria flavirostris
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Lesser Grey ShrikeLanius minor
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
Other birds17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Willow PtarmiganLagopus lagopus
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix
- CootFulica atra
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in February and in October.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan8°/6°165 mm
- Feb7°/5°122 mm
- Mar8°/5°112 mm
- Apr9°/7°79 mm
- May12°/9°94 mm
- Jun14°/11°98 mm
- Jul15°/12°113 mm
- Aug15°/13°134 mm
- Sep14°/12°119 mm
- Oct12°/10°162 mm
- Nov10°/8°160 mm
- Dec8°/6°167 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Gruinart Flats SSSI.
Landform on Islay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK
Gruinart Flats SSSI is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in United Kingdom.
174 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 26,939 open records.
The most recorded are the Corncrake, corn crake, the Barnacle Goose and the Eurasian Curlew.
28 species come for the summer, 53 for the winter and 2 only pass through.
8 are threatened worldwide, including Horned Grebe, Long-tailed duck and Grey Plover.
The most species are recorded in February and in October.
Get there and watch
- Port Mòr Campsitecampsite · 10 km · 1 within 10 km
- Loch Gruinart Houseplace to stay · 0.3 km · 25 within 10 km
- Isle of Islaynearest town · 6.9 km in a straight line
- Islay Airport (ILY)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 16 km in a straight lineCar hire at PIK airport (Prestwick, South Ayrshire)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1visitor centres within 6 kmRSPB Loch Gruinart Visitor Centre
- 2car parks within 3 km
- 1campsites within 10 kmPort Mòr Campsite
- 25places to stay within 10 kmLoch Gruinart House, Carnduncan, Kentraw B&B and 22 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
- restaurants and cafés within 3 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Gruinart Flats SSSI.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas18 mountains within 25 kmBeinn Bhàn471 m · 15 kmSgarbh Breac364 m · 15 kmBeinn Uraraidh456 m · 17 kmBeinn Bheigeir491 m · 18 kmBeinn a' Chaolais733 m · 21 kmGlas Bheinn562 m · 21 kmBeinn an Òir785 m · 22 kmBeinn Shiantaidh757 m · 24 km
Lakeyas5 lakes within 15 kmLoch Cam0.2 km² · 5.8 kmLoch Gorm2.6 km² · 5.9 kmLoch Skerrols0.2 km² · 6.3 kmLoch Finlaggan0.6 km² · 9.9 kmLoch Ballygrant0.2 km² · 12 km
Cascadyas2 waterfalls within 15 kmEas Lathan · 9.7 kmEas Forsa · 14 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Other places nearby.
Gruinart Flats SSSI
United Kingdom
- 77Birdyas Score
- 174Species
- 83Migrants
- 8Threatened
Calf of Man Bird Observatory
Isle of Man · 219 km
- 79Birdyas Score
- 180Species
- 98Migrants
- 7Threatened
Gladhouse Reservoir
United Kingdom · 201 km
- 69Birdyas Score
- 167Species
- 63Migrants
- 6Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q5612004) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 26,939 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas, Lakeyas, Darkskyas, Cascadyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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canyons
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caves
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dark skies
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viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
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