Page 26 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

OUTER HEBRIDES

A wide-mouthed
basking shark
filter feeding in the
waters around the
Outer Hebrides in
the summer.

YOU HAVE EVERY CHANCE

OF SPOTTING PORPOISES, ISLAND INVADER:

SEALS AND DOLPHINS. A PRICKLY PROBLEM

Hedgehogs are one of several invasive nuisances in
the Outer Hebrides. Introduced in the 1970s to control
about 30 breeding pairs of the former species across the garden slugs, or arriving as stowaways in hay bales,
island chain, with 19 pairs on Lewis and Harris. The lochs they've been caught on camera taking eggs and chicks
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region of south-east Lewis has the densest population of from nests of waders, particularly dunlin. South Uist
white-tailed eagles, and you may well spot these huge birds BBC Wildlife and Benbecula are worst-hit: nearly 2,500 hedgehogs
without the need for binoculars, circling above a loch. A readers can enjoy have been removed since 2003 but many remain –
a 25 per cent
superb place to see them is from the comfort of the cafeat complex terrain and the fact that hedgehogs can swim
discount on Outer
the Ravenspoint Centre at Kershader in South Lochs. Hebrides:visit make eradication difficult. By contrast, black rats were
A helpful Birds of Prey Trail lists 11 locations and www.bradtguides. kept at bay and confined to the Shiant Isles, which
two ferry journeys where you have a decent chance of com andenter were declared rat-free in July (ahead of schedule),
code WILDLIFE25
spotting both eagles and other raptors, from merlins to benefitting Manx shearwaters and storm petrels. A
at thecheck-out.
hen harriers. But in truth, since there are 70–80 pairs of separate project has all but eradicated American mink.
Offervaliduntil
golden eagles across theislands, you are just as likelyto 31 October 2017.
see these birds on your other rambles or drives.
Bask ng shark: Norbert Wu/Minden/FLPA; hedgehog: Martin H Smith/naturep .com
MARINE MAGIC
Among all the avian and floral splendour, it can be easy to
overlook the waters around the Outer Hebrides. On your
ferry crossing from the mainland you have every chance of
spotting common and grey seals, basking sharks, harbour
porpoises andbottlenose and white-beakeddolphins. Minke
whales and even orcas and humpbacks are not out of the
question. Don’t overlook the inter-island ferry services,
either. The Sound of Harris ferry that trundles from
Leverburgh on Harris to Berneray is a beautiful sea journey.
The trip takes barelyan hour, the boat slaloming
gracefully between countless islets and skerries. Sit at the
back of the ferry and watch gannets scything their way into
the blue, common seals basking on rocky outcrops and
A hedgehog eats
eagles soaring above the crags of Harris. For my money, oystercatcher eggs on
wildlife-watching in the Outer Hebrides is unbeatable. South Uist. The species
was introduced to the
island in 1974, much to
MARK ROWE is a travel writer and author of
the detriment of the
Outer Hebrides: The Western Isles of Scotland wader populations.
(Bradt Travel Guides, £14.99).
26 BBC Wildlife