Summer on Orkney — Wildlife, Birds & History

Day 1:

Meet in Inverness early afternoon and travel north to Caithness stopping to explore sites such as Loch Fleet on the way. We will cross the famous Pentland Firth and arrive on Orkney where we will spend the next seven nights based out of Kirkwall.

Day 2:

Today we take the short ferry hop over to Rousay. A hilly island dominated by thick heather and damp grassland. Here we will look for Short-eared Owl and Hen Harrier both of which have good populations on the island. The island is also home to some fascinating archaeological remains including Taversöe Tuick, an unusual two-storied cairn, and Midhowe stalled cairn and Broch. We will depart Rousay in the afternoon and finish the day on the mainland near Birsay looking for Puffin and Black Guillemot, Red-breasted Merganser and Divers.

Day 3:

The island of Westray offers us a completely different feel to both Rousay and Hoy being lower and sandier. We will take the ferry from Kirkwall wending our way between the islands to Rapness before exploring by vehicle across the island. The Gannetry at Noup Head is a magnificent experience and at the opposite end of the island the Castle o’Burrian is home to Puffins whilst Twite feed along the cliff-tops. The beaches may hold Sanderling and Turnstone and with luck Corncrake will be calling from the irises. The waters around the island and during the ferry journey offer a good chance to encounter cetaceans.

Day 4:

Mainland has a rich mix of moorland, farmland and marshes and these are excellent for birds. Local RSPB reserves offer hides overlooking areas that are great for Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls and the marshes are home to breeding Whooper Swans, Black-tailed Godwits and a plethora of other waders and wildfowl. The seacliffs of Marwick are impressive in their own right but also home to a fantastic seabird city and we will also look for Scotch Primula amongst Spring Squill and Thrift in the short coastal turf.

Day 5:

The island of North Ronaldsay is the northernmost of the Orkneys and the site of a Bird observatory. Weather and flight permitting we will visit the island from Kirkwall and spend the day exploring this site and seeing the Bird Observatory in action.

Day 6:

At the opposite end of the archipelago is South Ronaldsay. The island itself is connected by a series of causeways from mainland and this provides excellent viewing into Scapa Flow where we may pick up Great Northern Divers, both seals, cetaceans and seaduck. Little Terns breed in small numbers here as well. The southern tip of South Ronaldsay is an excellent vantage point to scan the Pentland Firth and at this time of year Orca can occasionally be encountered.

Day 7:

The dramatic island of Hoy will be our focus today. The ferry will take us past Cava and Flotta where we expect to see rafts of Eider and potentially even late-staying Long-tailed Ducks. Hoy is the most mountainous of the islands and home to Golden and White-tailed Eagles (though both are rare) as well as Great Skuas, Merlin, Hen Harrier and some stunning coastal scenery. The sheltered bays along the east coast often hold Great Northern Divers and Harbour Porpoises are a possibility.

Day 8:

After breakfast we will commence our journey south first crossing the Pentland by ferry and then south to Inverness where the tour will conclude mid-afternoon.

Visit the website for full details of this tour here.

 The daily itinerary is indicative and will be adjusted based on best available ferry times and weather.