Seabird Locations

1. Hermaness
ATTRACTIONS: a National Nature Reserve managed by SNH. A visitor centre nearby. Over 50,000 puffins, Shetland's largest gannetry and the third largest colony of great skuas in the world.
ACCESS: car park at the reserve entrance. A one hour walk to the seabird cliffs.

2. Eshaness
ATTRACTIONS: guillemots, kittiwakes and shags among superb coastal scenery.
ACCESS: park near lighthouse and walk north. Easy coastal walk but keep away from the edge!

3. Papa Stour
ATTRACTIONS: spectacular coastal scenery. Auks, terns, skuas and kittiwakes.
ACCESS: by ferry - check departure times with Shetland Islands Tourism. Requires a full day.

4. Foula
ATTRACTIONS: superb seabird colonies with a wide variety of species. The ferry crossing can be good for petrels and shearwaters in late summer.
ACCESS: requires an overnight stay. Contact Shetland Islands Tourism for information on ferry/flight times and accommodation.

5. Silwick to Westerwick
ATTRACTIONS: excellent coastal scenery. Black guillemots, kittiwakes and shags. Cormorants breed offshore at Clett Stack.
ACCESS: park sensibly and walk along cliffs. Allow several hours.

6. Head of Whiteness Voe
ATTRACTIONS: breeding black headed and common gulls.
ACCESS: view from public road.

7. Tingwall Loch
ATTRACTIONS: breeding black headed and common gulls on the holm.
ACCESS: view from pull-ins along the road.

8. Kettla Ness
ATTRACTIONS: skuas and terns.
ACCESS: park sensibly and walk from the end of the public road.

9. Fair Isle
ATTRACTIONS: superb seabird colonies with a wide variety of species. The ferry crossing can be good
for petrels and shearwaters in late summer.
ACCESS: requires an overnight stay. Contact Shetland Islands Tourism for information on ferry/flight times and accommodation.

10. Sumburgh Head
ATTRACTIONS: an easily accessible RSPB reserve with puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags and
kittiwakes. Whales, dolphins and porpoises are frequently seen offshore during the summer months.
ACCESS: car parking 100m below the lighthouse.

11. Pool of Virkie
ATTRACTIONS: mudflats exposed at low tide, with gulls, terns and waders.
ACCESS: viewed from pull-offs along the public road.

12. Noness
ATTRACTIONS: auks, skuas, terns and shags.
ACCESS: two to three hour walk over rough terrain.

13. Mousa
ATTRACTIONS: a small offshore island with terns, skuas and black guillemots. Storm petrels breed in the famous broch. Seals and porpoises are usually seen on the crossing.
ACCESS: by boat from Leebitton (Sandwick). Check details with Shetland Islands Tourism. Special
night trips can be organised to see petrels.

14. Noss
ATTRACTIONS: a National Nature Reserve managed by SNH, with a small visitor centre. Gannets and puffins at close quarters.
ACCESS: inflatable boat from Bressay. Boat trips depart from Lerwick daily in summer. Contact Shetland Islands Tourism for further information.

15. Clickimin Loch
ATTRACTIONS: breeding herring gulls.
ACCESS: on the outskirts of Lerwick. View from the public road on the south side of the loch.

16. Tresta, Fetlar
ATTRACTIONS: Red-necked phalaropes at Funzie, rafting Manx shearwaters just before dusk. Fetlar is an RSPB Reserve, contact the warden for more information.
ACCESS: Fetlar is reached by an inter-island ferry from Yell or Unst.