Philippa Mitchell sent me the following email and kindly asks for your cooperation: As Islay will soon be awaiting the arrival of the migrating wild geese, I wonder how the residents of the island are feeling about this?

Some may be eagerly anticipating the fantastic wildlife spectacle, or expecting a good income from the bird-watchers who come to stay and look through telescopes and binoculars at the many flocks. Some may be anxiously awaiting the flocks that have grown over the years, and wondering how they will keep the thousands of birds off their crops. Others may be worried about their lively-hoods if the geese occupy their crofts all winter long and eat, trample and poop on their grass.

I am particularly interested in how different people perceive the wild Barnacle Geese as I am currently working on a project called Imagining Natural Scotland. This national project, run by Creative Scotland, is aiming to record Scottish perception of the natural world around us and how this is influenced as part of the Year of Natural Scotland. My part of the project seeks to gather the many different views and opinions from as many people as possible who live with Barnacle Geese each winter - especially on Islay - and then to represent many of these views through visual art in the form of an exhibition. Continue reading....I am a painter and mixed media, part-time artist and teacher, looking forward to visiting Islay during November 2013 to meet interested people and the geese. My project is seeking to create a space where opinions can be exchanged and viewpoints appreciated. The subsequent work I create and collect is intended for an exhibition on Islay next spring as the migrating geese fly away, and further afield.

If anyone is interested in giving their personal views they would be very welcome to comment on my blog www.barnaclefishorfowl.wordpress.com or email me direct: philippa.mitchell@live.com. Comments made may be used on the blog or in the resulting exhibition, along with names where given. If you are an artist or craftsperson on Islay and would like to contribute creatively to the project I would also be delighted to hear from you and meet you if possible.

Philippa will be visiting on Thursday 21st November to Sunday 24th November and she would be very interested to come and talk to people about the project when she is here. Please contact her in advance if you would like to.

Tag: geese wildlife