Wild Uist

Wildlife

Few places in Britain pack in this much wildlife — eagles overhead, otters in the kelp, corncrakes in the machair and whales offshore. Here's what to look for, and what others have spotted recently.

What to look for

Eagles

Both golden and white-tailed eagles breed here — scan the ridges of South Uist's hills or watch for the 'flying barn door' silhouette over the lochs.

Corncrakes

One of the UK's last strongholds. From late April you'll hear their rasping call in the machair — RSPB Balranald is the classic spot.

Otters

Uist is otter country. Dawn and dusk along sheltered sea lochs are best — look for a low, flat wake and listen for crunching.

Whales & dolphins

Minke whales, Risso's dolphins, basking sharks and orca all pass through the Minch. Headlands on a calm day are your best bet.

Red deer

Common across the hills of South Uist and the moorland of North Uist — especially visible during the autumn rut.

Waders & wildfowl

The machair hosts internationally important breeding waders — lapwing, dunlin, redshank and ringed plover everywhere in spring.

Where and when

Named spots and the months each species is actually there. Benbecula first; the other islands follow. Dark months are the ones to plan around.

Liniclate beach and machair

Benbecula

Park by the beach access at Liniclate and walk the machair edge slowly, keeping to tracks: the waders nest on the ground and will leave eggs if pushed off. Corncrakes are heard far more than seen; stand still at dusk by the iris beds and hayfields and wait.

On the beaches and walks map Show on map

Breeding waders
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Oystercatcher, lapwing, ringed plover, dunlin, redshank and snipe are back on the machair from March. Display and nesting run through April and May, with chicks on the ground in May and June and snipe drumming over the wet ground at dusk. Most young have fledged by late July, and by August the families gather in flocks along the tideline.
Corncrake
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Males arrive in the last days of April and call from cover, loudest through May when the vegetation is still short enough to give you a chance of a glimpse. Calling tails off through June and July, and the birds slip away for Africa in August and September.

Culla Bay

Benbecula

Scan the bay from the road end at Aird or the sand above the beach with binoculars; the ducks sit well offshore on a calm sea.

On the beaches and walks map Show on map

Long-tailed duck
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
A winter visitor from the Arctic. First arrivals in September, flocks of 70 to 90 through the winter, and most have gone north again by the middle of May. Drakes are mostly white with the long tail streamers that give the name.

Rueval and the moor track

Benbecula

From the Market Stance car park take the track east past Rueval. The low moor south of the hill is the place for hen harrier and short-eared owl; further east towards the coast there is a chance of golden and white-tailed eagle. Owls sit tight in wind, so pick a still morning or early evening.

On the beaches and walks map Show on map

Hen harrier
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Resident, but April to July is when the pairs are on territory over the moor and the male's sky-dancing display and food passes are easiest to catch.
Short-eared owl
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Several pairs breed around Rueval in most years, hunting voles in daylight from May to August. Mornings and early evenings on calm days are best; they are almost inactive in strong wind.
Merlin
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Britain's smallest falcon breeds out on the moor in summer and moves down to the coast for winter. Watch for a fast, low dash after pipits along the track.
Divers on the lochans
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Red-throated and black-throated divers use the lochs the track passes from April, when they come in off the sea to breed, until the young are flying in August. Keep your distance from any loch with a bird sitting low near the shore.

Griminish road

Benbecula

Drive the east to west road through Griminish slowly and pull into passing places to scan the rough grass and moor on both sides. Stay in the car: it makes a fine hide.

Show on map

Short-eared owl
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Hunting the grassland either side of the road in the morning and early evening from May to August, when the vole population is high and there are chicks to feed.

Loch Mor

Benbecula

Take the turning opposite Caley Timber and use the passing places to look north over the loch to the small islands.

Show on map

Arctic tern
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
In the islands from late April to October after the longest migration of any bird. The colony on the islets in Loch Mor is busy from May to August, and off-duty birds fish the tidal pool at Poll na Crann nearby.

Poll na Crann

Benbecula

The tidal pool beside the causeway road at the north of the island. Low tide exposes the weed and the mud, which is when the birds are closest.

Show on map

Eider
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Here all year. In June and July the ducks bring their broods together into creches of ducklings watched over by a few females, and the low-tide wrack pulls in waders and gulls as well.

Peter's Port

Benbecula

Drive to the end of the Peter's Port road and scan the loch edge and islands from the pier, mostly to the north and east, then check the creeks on the way back. Otters turn up anywhere along this shore.

Show on map

Otter
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Year round. Early morning and the last two hours of light on a rising tide give the best odds; look for a low wake, a head that dips and does not come up where you expect, and listen for crunching on the rocks.

Borve machair

Benbecula

Walk the marked machair tracks at Borve and stop wherever red clover and knapweed are flowering. Stay on the routes and off the flower-rich strips, and do not disturb foraging bees or nest sites.

Show on map

Great yellow bumblebee
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
One of Britain's rarest bumblebees, now almost confined to the machair. Queens emerge from late May and June, workers follow in July, and the colony flies until the end of September. July and August, when the knapweed and clover peak, are the months to look.

Spots from Visit Outer Hebrides' wildlife points; timings cross-checked with the RSPB, Western Isles Wildlife and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Ground-nesting birds and otters are easily disturbed: keep to tracks, keep dogs on leads in spring, and give any sitting bird a wide berth.

Recent sightings

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