North Hoy RSPB Reserve Orkney Islands, Shetland
This reserve covers a large area of moorland in the north of the Orkney island of Hoy. The moors consist of wet and dry heath, areas of deer-grass and fell-field commounities in the higher, most exposed areas. Two glacial valleys cross the moorland and there are glacially-formed corries. The reserve also includes some of the highest cliffs in Britain reaching 350m at St John's Head, and the spectacular Old Man of Hoy, a world famous 150m high rock-stack. At Berriedale is virtually the only remaining fragment of Orkney's original woodland cover. The area is important for a wide range of both moorland and cliff-nesting birds.
Great Skua nests in good numbers as does Great Black-backed Gull, smaller numbers of Arctic Skua breed on lower ground. Other moorland breeders include Red Grouse, Golden Plover, Dunlin and Eurasian Curlew and raptors are well represented on the reserve with Hen Harrier, Merlin, Common Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon all breeding as well as Short-eared Owl. Passerine breeders are limited but include Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel and Twite. The cliffs hold large seabird colonies with Northern Fulmar and Shag, Kittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbill and Atlantic Puffin. Common and Arctic Terns form a mixed colony here and there is a Manx Shearwater colony close by, European Storm-petrel probably also breeds. Also breeding on the cliffs are Rock Dove, Northern Raven and Rock Pipit. The lochans in the hilly areas are the breeding site for about half of Orkney's Red-throated Divers.
Mountain Hares are present in good numbers throughout the reserve and Otters are frequently seen. Plants of interest include alpine species such as Purple Saxifrage, Alpine Saw-wort and Moss Campion found here at lower altitudes than elsewhere in Britain.
There is access to the reserve at all times but visitors are asked to take extra care at the cliff edges as they are particularly loose and crumbly. The reserve is situated in the north-west of Hoy around the island's highest point, Ward Hill. There is a passenger ferry between Stromness on Mainland Orkney and Moness on Hoy and the reserve boundary is a short walk from Moness Pier. A footpath runs through the glen between Ward Hill and Cuilags and across the moors to the village of Rackwick. Alternatively there is a car-ferry from Houton to Lyness then on the B9047 road to Rackwick. From Rackwick there is a footpath to the Old Man of Hoy.
Birds
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Northern Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, European Storm-petrel, Shag, Hen Harrier, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Red Grouse, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Atlantic Puffin, Rock Dove, Short-eared Owl, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Fieldfare, Redwing, Northern Raven, Siskin, Twite
Content and images originally posted by Steve
