Watch Our Wildlife In Summer

25th June 2013

The seabird colonies are in full swing at Holborn head, Dunnet, Duncansby and cliffs south of Wick. July is the best month to watch their young being fed. Visit at dusk to see young guillemots, razorbills and puffins leaving the cliffs to join the adults at sea. Offshore, watch for gannets and skuas.

Take care on unfenced cliffs. Other summer residents are the arctic, common and little tern feeding in the bays. Look may also see rafts of scoters and divers. Although many waders are on breeding territory you may find migrant flocks of sanderling and dunlin on the shores in late summer. Moors are best for sites of hen harrier and short eared owl. On mild, dry nights look out for pipistrelle bats feeding along tree/shrub edges and in deciduous woodland.

Daubenton’s bats over the burns at Latheronwheel woodland and Dunbeath Strath. Cetaceans are following fish around our coast now. Try headlands such as Holborn, Noss and Dunnet. Swiney head (Lybster) is a good spot for minke whales, risso and bottlenose dolphins. There is always a possibility of orcas and pilot whales. Common seals pup in June - try the small harbours.

Coastal grasslands and cliffs are rich in plant life; from thrift, eyebrights, grass of parnassus and numerous orchids. The second flowering of Scottish primrose is in late June. Look out for this tiny flower at Dunnet links, Keiss & Holborn Head.

The rare oyster plant can be seen along the shingle beaches of Keiss & Dunbeath - look out for the small blue flower with silver green leaves. Meanwhile peatland sites are full of sundews and the orange flowered bog asphodel.

Taken from an earlier leaflet prepared by the Highland Council Rangers Service.