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Overview
South Uist in the Outer Hebrides is a large island with wet grasslands, upland moors with shallow lochans and, on the east coast, sea lochs.
The most important habitat for birds is the "machair" which is flower-rich grassland growing on soil made up of peat and wind-blown sand. Waders in particular find this habitat ideal for nesting and the Outer Hebrides is one of the most important areas for these birds in Britain.
South Uist also has good seawatching points and the freshwater wetlands and sea lochs host important numbers of breeding, wintering and passage waterfowl.
Birds
Notable Species
Loch Druidibeg National Nature Reserve Map is one of the best areas for breeding waterfowl on South Uist with Britain's largest surviving colony of native Greylag Goose. This 1,677ha reserve is divided by a main road and to the east is the loch itself, a shallow moorland loch with stony shores and numerous islands covered in low scrub. The western part of the reserve consists of croftland, machair and dunes.
In addition to Greylags there are breeding Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler, Common Eider and Red-breasted Merganser.
Waders such as Dunlin, Common Redshank, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper and Northern Lapwing also breed and Arctic Tern and Ringed Plover nest on sandy areas. Farmland has Corn Crake, Twite and Corn Bunting.
Raptors are well-represented with Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin, Golden Eagle, Common Buzzard, Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl hunting over the moors and grassland.
Rarities
White-tailed Eagle is occasionally seen on the east coast of South Uist when birds wander from the reintroduced population on Rhum. A Pacific Golden Plover and a female Lesser Scaup were present in March 2003 and in October 2003 a drake American Wigeon and a 1st-winter Blackpoll Warbler were recorded.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Northern Fulmar, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, European Storm Petrel, Leach's Storm Petrel, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, European Shag, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, (scarce Su), Pink-footed Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Greater Scaup, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, White-tailed Eagle, Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Red Grouse, Corncrake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Eurasian Woodcock, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Little Tern, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Rock Dove, Common Cuckoo, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Hooded Crow, Northern Raven, Common Starling, House Sparrow, European Greenfinch, Twite, Snow Bunting, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
Areas of Interest
Ardivachar Point
Ardivachar Point in the north-west is excellent for seawatching and can be reached on a minor road from the A865 just before the South Uist-Benbecula causeway. Map
Loch Bee
Also in the north-west is Loch Bee, on both sides of the A865, a good area for waterfowl especially in winter. Map
Still on the west coast but to the south is the promontory of Rubha Ardvule, another excellent seawatching point. Head west on a minor road from the A865 about 12km north of Lochboisdale. Map
Loch Hallan
Further south still is Loch Hallan, a shallow reed-fringed loch with good waterfowl often including summering Whooper Swan. The loch is near the point where the A865 meets the B888 to the west of Lochboisdale. Map
Access and Facilities
South Uist can be reached by ferry from Oban or Mallaig on the mainland. The three main islands of the southern Outer Hebrides, North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist, are linked by causeways and guest-house and B& B accommodation is plentiful in the islands.
The reserve at Loch Druidibeg, lies in the north of South Uist on the A865 road. A permit is required to enter the reserve, available from the warden in Stilligarry.
Contact Details
SNH, Stilligarry, South Uist HS8 5RS Tel: 01870 620238.
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
Content and images originally posted by Steve
