Canna is a superb island for birds, mainly due to the variety of habitats present on such a small island. From the huge cliffs that provide undisturbed sites for seabirds and raptors, the open hill ground with its nesting pipits and wheatears, down to the grazed fields and woodlands around the bay. As the tide goes out, the exposed mud in the bay attracts good numbers of feeding ducks, gulls and waders.
On Sanday, the bogs and maritime heaths are another interesting habitat that provide good feeding and nesting opportunities for a range of species including white-tailed eagles, golden eagles, great skuas, kittiwakes, guillemots ... and the ever-popular puffin.
Canna boasts a complex mosaic of habitats – marine, littoral and terrestrial – many of which have national or regional significance. Of the most important are the base-rich grassland and cliff vegetation, the machair and maritime heath. Combining this diversity of habitats with the temperate, oceanic climate, Canna is able to support a maritime flora and fauna of great interest and beauty.
Transcript
So we’re here on the Isle of Canna with rangers Gillian and Mike.
We just thought that since you guys can’t be out here to see us, we’d bring the dawn chorus to you.
We’ll just go for a wander through Keill Wood and we’ll try and point out some of the birds that you can see and hear.
There’s a nice willow warbler going off.
Nice quad bike in the background, very nice. Thank you, Murdo!
That’s the willow warbler again.
There’s a nice song thrush. You can tell it’s a song thrush as they tend to do sets of 3.
That’s the willow warbler again.