Handa Island for the Great and Arctic Skuas (1 Viewer)

[Earnest lad]

I aim to travel to the above location this spring, to try and photograph Skuas. I understand they are a summer visitor. I dont want to go all that way only to find I have gone too soon and no birds present. Please may I enquire when the skuas return to their Handa Island ?

 

[delia todd]

Great Skuas should be there in May. You'll walk through their nesting area on the path to the top of the island.

A good time to go, too, as there's fewer midges about then LOL.

More info on the Opus article, with some links: Handa Island - BirdForum Opus

 

[Stonefaction]

It will be interesting to see just how big of a 'hit' the Bonxie population around Scotland's islands has taken from the ongoing HPAI virus. Some of the figures that were around last summer with regards losses at various breeding colonies looked very worrying for the species population as a whole. Hopefully they can claw their way back from that over the next few years.