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Large sea loch on Islay island south of Loch Gruinart, with similar ecology. 35 miles of shoreline.
5,000 valkoposkihanhi roost at Bridgend Flats at the landward end. A convenient road, with several specially provided bird-watching lay-by, hugs the shore from Bowmore to Bruichladdich, enabling one to view both the tidal sandflats at the head of the loch, where kuovi, meriharakka, punakuiri and suosirri occur in hundreds, and tylli, punajalkaviklo, isosirri, tundrakurmitsa and others in at least tens. And also the shallow water, on which a flock of up to 300 lapasotka, up to 50 mustakurkku-uikku, large flocks of haahka, perhaps 25 telkkä, a dozen alli, plenty of laulujoutsen and kyhmyjoutsen and several hundred haapana, spend the winter. Further out on the loch, and often better seen from Bruichladdich, are up to 100 mustalintu throughout the year, as well as all three species of divers, amerikanjääkuikka sometimes exceeding 50 in number. Up to 100 tukkakoskelo moult on the loch in late summer.
Between Bridgend to Bruichladdich is a two-mile strand divided by a shingle spit, good for karikukko and grönlanninlokki or isolokki. The rocky shore in front of Bruichladdich village is an excellent place for merisirri, from about November to May, and they can also be seen at Port Charlotte. Loch Indaal is never empty. Wader passage occurs in April and May, with a few pulmussirri present through June, too. Return passage starts in July and by August flocks of pulmussirri, tylli and suosirri occur, with occasional kuovisirri and pikkusirri.
Usual possibility of otters, dolphins, porpoise, grey seal or basking shark offshore.
Ferry from Kinnacraig (as of 2022, reports indicate delays are possible due to Calmac's aging fleet), or by air from Glasgow.
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