Tag Archives: nature

Bird News for North Hill and Noup Cliffs – June/July 2012

The number of Gannets nesting at the RSPB’s Noup Cliffs reserve on Westray has once again increased to a whopping 623 nests! Considering that Gannets only started nesting on this reserve in 2003, that’s a pretty impressive increase in a relatively short amount of time. Most of these breeding pairs now have small, fluffy white […]

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June Wildlife Sighting 2012

Whooper Swan – 1 dead discovered near Mull Head on 5th. Greylag Goose – 55 broods plus 182 non-breeding adults counted at St Tredwell’s Loch on 21st. Barnacle Goose – 1 seen on St Tredwell’s Loch by Tim on 2nd. 2 seen in field near Cuppin farm on 7th. Shelduck – Pair with 10 young […]

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Seals

Common Seal The Westray population is of unknown size but this animal is by no means scarce, possibly 500-1000 individuals. Several small colonies exist around the coast with greatest numbers occurring at Sponess and on the Holm of Aikerness. The Bay of Swartmill is a common summer haul-out. Pups are born in June to mid-July […]

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Puffin Spotting at the Castle o’Burrian

The Castle o’Burrian is well known in Orkney as one of the best and easiest places to see puffins close up. Here, between late April and mid August, as many as 200-300 birds nest on the stack and can be viewed from the adjacent cliffs. Building remains on the top of the stack are said […]

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