OH Wildlife Festival
The Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival is organised by the RSPB and runs islands-wide from Saturday 25 June to Saturday 2 July, with many events happening here in Uist and Barra.
Jamie Boyle, RSPB Outer Hebrides Site Manager, explained: “The Outer Hebrides has fantastic wildlife and beautiful places where islanders have lived and worked alongside nature for generations. It is thanks to this unique relationship that the islands have so many different species and that is something that should be highlighted and celebrated. Through the Wildlife Festival, participants can get closer to nature and learn more about what is on their doorstep, while also enjoying the outdoor activities planned.”
The RSPB Outer Hebrides Team have several events planned for the week of the festival: MONDAY 27 JUNE – 1.30PM – an opportunity to sample the fruits of the land at North Uist Distillery’s Downpour tasting event at Nunton Steadings. The Corncrake Calling: Land of Corncrakes exhibition will be at the Steadings for the duration of the festival.MONDAY 27 JUNE 8PM – A guided walk from Nunton Steadings to Aird, led by Alasdair
MacEachen. The walk will include local history and stories, and by starting at 8pm, there is every chance that a corncrake will be heard before the end of the two-hour session.
MONDAY 27 JUNE FROM 10AM – Wild Things Uist are hosting a Wee Wildlings Beach party for pre-schoolers and their families at Balranald, North Uist
TUESDAY 28 JUNE FROM 10AM – Balranald Walk from the RSPB visitor centre to the machair, along the shoreline and to the loch, where a variety of wading birds such as lapwing and corncrake can be found.
WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE TO SATURDAY 02 JULY – Wild Things Uist will also be running a Wildlife Discovery Trail at Cladach Kirkibost, which will feature some of the species the festival aims to highlight, such as artic terns, sundew, lapwings, otter, golden eagle, great yellow bumblebee and of course, the corncrake.
WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE FROM 10AM – Resident otter expert Martyn Jamieson will lead an Otter walk from Langass Lodge.
WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE, FROM 7.30PM- Dr. Rupert Marshall will be giving a talk on how and why birds sing. Explaining how birds are recorded in the field, how they make such amazing sounds, and what they do when they hear another song. This event will be hosted by Ceòlas and will take place in Cnoc Soilleir.
THURSDAY 30 JUNE FROM 10AM – A guided walk from RSPB Loch Druidibeg through the Land of Eagles.
THURSDAY 30 JUNE 7-9PM – An exclusive viewing of a pair of white-tailed eagles successfully raising a chick on the reserve.
THURSDAY 30 JUNE 8.30AM – Uist Sea Tours Mingulay Puffins tour departs from Eriskay and offers the opportunity to see puffins, kittiwakes, and razorbills, with a good chance of seeing whales and dolphins around the waters of the island.
THURSDAY 30 JUNE FROM 1PM FROM BERNERAY – Viv Halcrow, a local marine ecologist, will lead a seashore safari, looking at rock pools and finding out more about anemones and other creatures that live around our shorelines.
Grimsay Community Association are holding a number of events as part of the festival, two guided walks, on moorland wildflowers and on birds of prey walk, and also have a few craft activities based on the SHOAL exhibition, which is on the history of the fisherman’s ganseys. Grimsay Community Association will also be one of the venues for the RSPB Film Night, which offers a chance to see two films that explore the islanders’ connection to land, culture, and wildlife.
The Festival organisers advise that some events will require booking and ask that those interested in taking part visit the website for up to date programme listings or contact Shona MacLellan, RSPB Community Engagement Officer by email shona.maclellan@rspb.org.uk for more details.
