Barnacle geese rest up on the beach past Killinallan Point, with Nave Island in the background. These geese were completely unbothered by the presence of myself and my dog, it's pretty rare to get close on foot without putting geese up on other parts of the island.
Barnacle geese (a protected species) are shot in small numbers by SNH on Islay (a Special Protection Area) if they are considered to be causing "agricultural damage". I must confess I've never really figured this one out...
Mark
The whole of Islay is not a Special Protection Area. That designation covers specific areas of the island of high conservation value, e.g. Loch Gruinart, Bridgend Merse, Laggan Dunes, and parts of the Rinns, etc. Only relatively small areas of farmland, where the geese feed, have any kind of protection.
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