Where to go birding in Loch Eriboll by Peter Stronach
Loch Eriboll in Sutherland, is a massive sea loch between the Kyle of Durness and the Kyle of Tongue on the north coast. The increasingly famous North Coast 500 road passes around it's perimeter between Durness and Tongue. There are numerous passing places all along the road which means there are plenty of places to stop and check the sea loch. The best strategy is to drive slowly around the loch stopping every now and again, obviously viewing will be determined by the direction of the sun.
In winter, probably the best time of year to visit, the loch itself is is a great place for watching divers, the most numerous being Great Northern Divers, with Red-throats common and Black-throats scarce. The Great Northerns are seen in most months, but most numerous during the winter, towards spring the adults start to take on their breeding plumage and look absolutely stunning!.
Also in winter, any feeding or roosting gull flocks are worth scanning for white-wingers, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls are common and seen regularly, with numbers fluctuating between years. Sometimes if a bait ball is found there can be amazing numbers of dense gulls feeding at the water's surface, plenty of Kittiwakes mixed in with the larger Herring Gulls and Great Black-backs. Auks are present too, with the occasional Little Auk when their has been an influx due to northerly winds. Long-tailed Ducks, Eider and Goldeneye are present in small numbers, along with Shags, and flocks of Red-breasted Mergansers patrol the shoreline.
In winter, probably the best time of year to visit, the loch itself is is a great place for watching divers, the most numerous being Great Northern Divers, with Red-throats common and Black-throats scarce. The Great Northerns are seen in most months, but most numerous during the winter, towards spring the adults start to take on their breeding plumage and look absolutely stunning!.
Also in winter, any feeding or roosting gull flocks are worth scanning for white-wingers, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls are common and seen regularly, with numbers fluctuating between years. Sometimes if a bait ball is found there can be amazing numbers of dense gulls feeding at the water's surface, plenty of Kittiwakes mixed in with the larger Herring Gulls and Great Black-backs. Auks are present too, with the occasional Little Auk when their has been an influx due to northerly winds. Long-tailed Ducks, Eider and Goldeneye are present in small numbers, along with Shags, and flocks of Red-breasted Mergansers patrol the shoreline.
In spring, the numbers of icelandic Slavonian Grebes increase as they gather before migrating back to their breeding grounds in Iceland, large counts of up to 50 are not uncommon. They tend to congregate more in the southern half of the loch.
In summer, Common Sandpipers can be found on the shore and along the burns that lead into the sea loch.
In autumn, the area to the north of the fish farm on the west side of the loch is worth checking for waders. Park at the fish farm road here and view the muddy and stony area to the north. any state of tide other than very high tide is fine.
Raptors are common in the surrounding area, with both species of eagle present and plenty of Ravens acting as a warning alarm for you when any eagles are about. The area directly to the south forms part of the Foinaven SPA designated for it's internationally important population of Golden Eagles.
Autumn migration of passerines here is virtually unrecorded, and it is likely that any patch of vegetation is worth checking. The large trees around the farm at Eriboll itself on the eastern shore are the most likely spot, but they are a daunting size to check thoroughly from the road.
As well as birds, the sea loch is an excellent place to see Otters, the best time being a rising tide from 2-3 hours before high tide. The coast in the area of the burn outflow at NC410553.
In summer, Common Sandpipers can be found on the shore and along the burns that lead into the sea loch.
In autumn, the area to the north of the fish farm on the west side of the loch is worth checking for waders. Park at the fish farm road here and view the muddy and stony area to the north. any state of tide other than very high tide is fine.
Raptors are common in the surrounding area, with both species of eagle present and plenty of Ravens acting as a warning alarm for you when any eagles are about. The area directly to the south forms part of the Foinaven SPA designated for it's internationally important population of Golden Eagles.
Autumn migration of passerines here is virtually unrecorded, and it is likely that any patch of vegetation is worth checking. The large trees around the farm at Eriboll itself on the eastern shore are the most likely spot, but they are a daunting size to check thoroughly from the road.
As well as birds, the sea loch is an excellent place to see Otters, the best time being a rising tide from 2-3 hours before high tide. The coast in the area of the burn outflow at NC410553.
