The Grey Phalarope (sometimes confusingly called the Red Phalarope) is an occasional visitor to Scotland. These birds breed in the high Acrtic and winter at sea in the Atlantic off west and south Africa. In autumn occasionally a few birds will be blown inshore by storms and gales. Exceptionally in October/November 2008 large numbers were found in the northern isles and down the west coast of Scotland. The bird photographed here was present for a week or so at Stevenston on the Ayrshire coast of the Firth of Clyde.