Holiday accommodation overlooking Pierowall Bay – self-catering – sleeps up to 5, with air source heating and Wi-fi. 

Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083070109859

Food is freshly cooked and served to table in a comfortable seated environment with excellent views over Loch Saintear. Takeaway food is also available with Saintear neapolitan style pizza being a speciality. Saintear pizza dough is made from scratch and proved for 24 hours. We aim to use Scottish and local produce from Westray and Orkney and are a licensed premises. Pets are very welcome too. 

https://www.facebook.com/saintear

St Clair Cottage, Pierowall

Easy access, disabled friendly, warm cottage in the village, by the shore. Restored with guest and carer in mind but magic and relaxing for all. www.stclaircottage.co.uk. Sandy @ 01857 677482.

Enquiries

[contact-form-7]S McEwen
West Manse
Westray
Orkney
KW17 2DR
01857 677482

Buzzard wing tagged

As usual, most of the geese present have been Greylags but Barnacles have been around including a sighting of 22 in January. Pink-footed and Greenland White-fronted Geese have also put in the odd appearance. A Snow Goose was present in the Swartmill area in early March. A handful of Whooper Swans remained over the winter. (Many stop off in autumn on their way south from Iceland but most head south into Scotland for the winter).

Snow Goose

Goldcrest and Chiffchaff arrived in mid April when Puffins were back on the sea at Castle O’Burrian.

Goldcrest

As usual, both Iceland and Glaucous Gulls from the arctic were seen this winter but were not as numerous as in some years. A few Jack Snipe have been seen but many more have no doubt been here as these birds don’t tend to fly up unless you nearly tread on them, unlike Common Snipe which are much quicker to fly. A Grey Plover has been around Aikerness since November and was still present in March. It fed on the shore when the tide was out but was seen on the airfield at high tide.

Grey Plover

In early February many Guillemots (Aaks) were on the ledges at Noup giving a taste of spring. Also on the theme of spring, a very early Wheatear was seen on 18th Feb. Small numbers of Sandwich Terns appeared in early April. In late March a Short-eared Owl was present in the Westside and in April a Hawfinch was feeding in Pierowall.

Hawfinch

There have been quite a few Otter sightings at various places in Westray this winter and early spring.

Otters

Flocks of Snow Buntings have been seen at several places especially near the Ouse. Stonechats were also in evidence this winter.

Swallows were seen on 21st April.

A Corncrake was heard calling on 30th April.  A Goldfinch was using bird feeders in Pierowall village around 5th May.

A Water Rail was seen crossing a ditch on 6th May. Whimbrel, Great Northern Divers and Sanderling were vying for attention in early May.

Don and Sandra Otter

Fulmars are claiming their territories on ledges around the island.

We  have been lucky to be enjoying the Hen Harriers which choose to spend their winter here. There are definately three individuals and possibly more.

A Fulmar riding the cliff winds at Noup as the sun begins to set. The Brough of Birsay on the West Mainland of Orkney is just visible in the bottom left corner.

Common Seals drying out in Pierowall, the main village of Westray.

The abandoned village of Netherhouses on the Westside during a sunny February afternoon.

Purple Sandpipers taking a pause from feeding with a Common Gull near to the airport on Westray during a high tide .

An immature Shag came onto the rocks outside the Westray Surgery to dry it’s wings giving exeptional views.

At least 10 Snow Buntings were feeding with Twite around some farm buildings.

Evidence of some of our sea-life was this dried out Starfish in the Bay of Tuquoy.

The Super Blue Blood Moon as seen from Westray.

Sandra and Don Otter

Glaucous Gull

We were lucky to watch this Glaucous Gull feeding on a beach on Westray. They arrive here  most winters along with the similar Iceland Gull. Neither of these birds have black tips to their wings making them quite distinctive.

Iceland Gull

For a few days the cold air from the north held it’s grip on Westray, with minimal snow and some iced roads.

Sand O’Gill, Pierowall

The frozen Lochs pushed waterfowl like Wigeon onto the sea in the search for food.

Wigeon

One lucky observer watched an otter grooming it’s coat on the shore for about 20 minutes. Waders on Westray have included Jack Snipe, Grey Plover and Knot as well as the usual wintering flocks of Purple Sandpipers, Curlew and Sanderling.

Purple Sandpipers

Merlin sightings are increasing along with the occassional Hen Harrier, a nice male Hen Harrier passed across the fields in Skelwick. Snow Buntings are still around in small groups, an ever increasing flock of Twite, now exceeding 120 continues to feed on a couple of small fields planted especially with wild flower seeds. Common Seals haul out regularly in their favoured spots as the tide goes out.

Common Seals

Don and Sandra Otter