Balranald, North Uist RSPB
Balranald and corncrakes hit 40.
- The RSPB’s Balranald nature reserve have a double celebration as, on the reserves 40th birthday the reserve’s corncrake population hit 40. The 640 hectare reserve has helped increased corncrake numbers from just a few in 1966 to the 40 this year. The normally elusive and hard to see corncrakes celebrated in style – with one bird strutting around the reserve’s visitor centre, to the amazement of birdwatchers and photographers. As a species that depends on traditional crofting and farming techniques, corncrakes have seen a revival since the early 1990s with RSPB reserves and management agreements across the Scottish west coast bringing this previously globally threatened species back from the brink.
- Many Hebridean and Western Isles, including Coll, Tiree and the Uists, now have corncrake populations numbering over 100, with Islay and Iona not far behind. So successful has the conservation and management for corncrakes been in this region that some young birds from the islands have been re-located to boost a reintroduction project in East Anglia.
Balranald is a long way from almost everywhere. Yet I would urge everyone to visit the Hebrides as they are quite fantastic. Except that if too many people do visit, they won’t be quite so good (Like Skye now, great, but overcrowded.).
Balranald is the RSPB’s remotest reserve, so we thought we would go and visit. To be honest, we didn’t see many birds, mostly because we didn’t try very hard. South Uist is one huge reserve, and there seems to be more water than land on the land. I saw more lapwings than sheep while driving to the ferry. In fact, if you were Slartibartfast, and were given the job of designing a nature reserve, North Uist would be close to the final product. Endless lakes and sea lochs, rocky shoreline alternating with sandy beaches, the glorious grasslands of the machair and swarms of insects.
The reserve itself is best, and almost exclusively, seen on foot. There is a 3 mile walk that you need to allow 2.5 hours. It crosses the reserve before following the dramatic coastline and finally traversing the edge of a glorious sandy bay. The machair, the glorious grassland dominated by dozens of wildflowers that is unique to the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, is spectacular. The flowers and the shoreline are worth the walk, whether you see any birds or not. We saw, and heard, several corn buntings, and plenty of oystercatchers and plovers on the beach. A distant Hen harrier put in a brief appearance, and there were plenty of butterflies fluttering around the machair. Balranald is a good place to see otters as well, though, like anywhere, you need plenty of luck. Keep your eyes open while on the coastline, especially if you are there at low tide. Sandy beaches and a rocky foreshore are separated from the machair and marshes by sand dunes and also shallow lochs. The information centre explains the importance of traditional crofting agriculture for the now rare corncrake and other wildlife. Many species of wading birds nest on the flower-rich machair and the croftland.
Opening times
Reserve - open at all times; visitor centre (unmanned) - April to August, 9 am to 6 pm.
Very limited wheelchair access.
Highlights: Corn crakes (we didn’t see any, but Balranald has more than anywhere else in the UK), corn buntings, oystercatchers, ringed plovers, little plovers, turnstone, barnacled goose (in winter), white-tailed eagles & otters.
Nr Bayhead
North Uist
Western Isles
Tel: 01876 560287
Grid reference: NF714699
Click here for more information.
These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.
