Bird Watching

Shetland is a paradise for bird watching, whether you are interested in seabirds, Arctic species or migrants. A vast array of species are visible just directly from the windows of your accommodation. The list below is just a sample of the birds spotted from Nye Swarthoull during the summer of 2002
 

1

Red-throated Diver

13

Ringed Plover

25

Lesser Black-backed Gull

37

Pied Wagtail

2

Fulmar

14

Lapwing

26

Herring Gull

38

Wren

3

Gannet

15

Common Snipe

27

Glaucous Gull

39

Robin

4

Cormorant

16

Whimbrel

28

Arctic Tern

40

Northern Wheatear

5

Shag

17

Curlew

29

Guillemot

41

Blackbird

6

Grey Heron

18

Common Redshank

30

Razorbill

42

Hooded Crow

7

Whooper Swan

19

Common Sandpiper

31

Black Guillemot

43

Raven

8

Greylag Goose

20

Turnstone

32

Puffin

44

Starling

9

Tufted Duck

21

Arctic Skua

33

Common Swift

45

House Sparrow

10

Common Eider

22

Great Skua 

34

Skylark



11

Coot

23

Black-headed Gull

35

Swallow



12

Oystercatcher

24

Common Gull

36

Meadow Pipit



 

 

Scottish Natural Heritage manage the seabird resurves at Hermaness in Unst and the island of Noss. These reserves represent the largest seabird colonies in Shetalnd and are accessible by foot or by joining a boat trip. For someting closer to Nye Swarthoull try the cliffs of Eshaness for huge puffin colonies or the hillsiwck ness for Arctic and Great Skua’s