Page 23 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

insects and carpeted with wildflowers
in spring and summer.spring and summer
in
To generalise, theislands’ western coasts are dominated
by machair, whiletheir eastern seaboard is eaten away
by jagged sea lochsand mountain ranges. This creates
a dramatic interaction of prey and avian predators, with
raptors tending to nest in the east, in the moors andhills,
but dependent on the machair for their food.
Though Shetland contests this, the islands of the Outer
Hebrides also lay claim to the densest population of otters
in the UK. The fetching ‘Otters Crossing’ roadside warning
signs are not just there for holiday snaps. And you will see
red deer for sure while you walk over Uig’s remote moors
on Lewis, or just as likely by the road, spotted from your car.
As with my hen harrier encounter, I find the islands really
deliver when it comes to hard-to-come-by species.
Above: carpets
of white clover,
HEARD AND NOT SEEN lady’s bedstraw,
Takethe corncrake, another avian must-see (or rather must- buttercups and
hear, this being an exceptionallyshy bird). So embattled on self-heal – at
the mainland – its rangeand numbers crashedduring the their best in June
and July. Right:
20th century as a result of early harvesting that destroyed
the signs serve a
farmland nests before chicks had the chance to fledge – the serious purpose
'land rail' has a stronghold on North Uist. as there are so
Indeed,the machair around Loch Sanndaraigh at many otters on
the islands.
Paible on North Uist is referred to locally as ‘Corncrake
Central’. Some 30 pairs breedhere; takeastroll in late
ot Neep/Getty; spring and the males’ rasping calls reverberate far and
wide, especially in the evening. The RSPB runs guided
walks of the area between May and September. Another
excellent place to hear corncrakes is back on Benbecula,
eft: Derek M dd eton/FLPA; E H.Jegen/Picture Alliance/Photoshot; Bob Gibbons/FLPA; Colin Weston/Getty I reach the premier bird reserve of the Outer Hebrides:
on the machair behind Culla Bay, south of Nunton.
A few kilometres to the north of Loch Sanndaraigh,
Balranald. This avian treasure trove has 1,600 acres of
sandy beaches, rocky foreshore, machair, marshes and
C ockw se from top dunes. It’s one of just two RSPB reserves across the
Outer Hebrides – the other is Loch na Muilne on Lewis.
You’re likely to hear corncrakes at Balranald, along with
corn buntings, which happily are much more plentiful
than in most farmland on the mainland.
August 2017 BBC Wildlife 23