Overview
Tiree, in the Inner Hebrides, is a low-lying, irregularly-shaped island to the west of Mull off western Scotland.
Apart from the land used for grazing and cereal production the main habitats of the island are machair and damp moorland.
There are several large freshwater lochs as well as smaller lochans and areas of bog.
Although there are cliffs in places the coastline is largely low and rocky, interspersed with wide sandy bays and there are extensive sand-dunes on the west coast.
Birds
Notable Species
The island is important for breeding, passage and wintering waterfowl, in addition there are breeding seabirds and the globally threatened Corn Crake still occurs here at one of its British strongholds here.
Tiree is of national importance for several breeding species including Red-throated Diver, Ringed Plover, Arctic Skua and terns.
One of the best birding spots on the island is Loch a'Phuill in the west. This freshwater loch has Greylag Goose all year joined by Greater White-fronted Goose, Mute Swan and Whooper Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Red-breasted Merganser and other ducks in autumn and winter.
The loch can be reached from Scarinish on the B8065 road. From the church west of Heylipol take the southerly road from the crossroads towards Balemartin. After a short distance a track to the right leads to the loch. Loch Bhasapol in the north of Tiree has a similar range of birds and can be reached on the B8068 from Scarinish.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Little Grebe, Northern Fulmar, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, European Storm-petrel, Northern Gannet, European Shag, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Common Pheasant Corncrake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, European Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Little Tern, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Rock Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Hooded Crow, Northern Raven, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Eurasian Linnet, Twite, Reed Bunting
Other Wildlife
Basking Shark and Minke Whale are often seen offshore along with Common Seal and Grey Seal and dolphins.
Site Information
Areas of Interest
Ceann a' Mhara in the far south-west of the island has cliff-nesting seabirds including Common Guillemot and Razorbill, European Shag, Northern Fulmar and Kittwake.
From the B8065 take the track at Barrapol Corner and walk around the peninsula on the clifftop.
Passage and wintering waders including Purple Sandpiper can be seen at Balephetrish Bay also reached on the B8068 and there are two smaller bays in the north-east, Salum and Vaul Bays, that also support good waders.
These two can be reached from Scarinish on the B8069 turning left after the Lodge Hotel.
Access and Facilities
There is a year-round car and passenger ferry 3-4 times per week from Oban to Tiree docking at Scarinish. Boat-trips in spring and autumn can provide good seawatching. There is no public transport on Tiree but cars and cycles can be hired.
Contact Details
John Bowler RSPB 01879 220748
External Links
Content and images originally posted by Steve
