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Brough of Birsay

3 ha

📷 Andy Farrington · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeHeritage

Dogs welcome3 ha

Getting here

59.13687, -3.33031

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦82+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Fulmar and Oystercatcher
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦82+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Fulmar and Oystercatcher
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingParking· Free

Best for

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Fulmar, Oystercatcher, Gannet +79 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Fulmar, Oystercatcher, Gannet +79 more · last seen 2025

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Sea Plantain, Thrift, Yarrow +9 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Sea Plantain, Thrift, Yarrow +9 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Blue-tailed Damselfly, Golden-ringed Dragonfly · last seen 2025; Insects — Blue-tailed Damselfly, Golden-ringed Dragonfly · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 9Cycling route

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Orkney Prehistory Loop RideCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

18,455 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

18,455 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds54 species

autumn

2025

Turnstone · Fulmar · Gannet · Oystercatcher · Redshank +49

TurnstoneArenaria interpres
FulmarFulmarus glacialis
GannetMorus bassanus
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
RedshankTringa totanus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
DunlinCalidris alpina
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Common GullLarus canus
ShagGulosus aristotelis
EiderSomateria mollissima
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna grisea
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
LapwingVanellus vanellus
SanderlingCalidris alba
CurlewNumenius arquata
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Common GuillemotUria aalge
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea
SwallowHirundo rustica
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
KnotCalidris canutus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Rock DoveColumba livia
Great SkuaStercorarius skua
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
RavenCorvus corax
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
RazorbillAlca torda
PuffinFratercula arctica
Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
TealAnas crecca
WigeonMareca penelope
Little StintCalidris minuta
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Mute SwanCygnus olor
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
House SparrowPasser domesticus
House MartinDelichon urbicum
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus

🦌

Mammals3 species

summerautumn

2025

Harbour Seal · Common Porpoise · Grey Seal

Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Common PorpoisePhocoena phocoena
Grey SealHalichoerus grypus

🌿

Plants2 species

summer

2025

Sea Plantain · Perennial Sow-thistle

Sea PlantainPlantago maritima
Perennial Sow-thistleSonchus arvensis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

18,455 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds54 species

autumn

2025

Turnstone · Fulmar · Gannet · Oystercatcher · Redshank +49

TurnstoneArenaria interpres
FulmarFulmarus glacialis
GannetMorus bassanus
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
RedshankTringa totanus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
DunlinCalidris alpina
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
Common GullLarus canus
ShagGulosus aristotelis
EiderSomateria mollissima
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna grisea
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
LapwingVanellus vanellus
SanderlingCalidris alba
CurlewNumenius arquata
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Common GuillemotUria aalge
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea
SwallowHirundo rustica
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
KnotCalidris canutus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Rock DoveColumba livia
Great SkuaStercorarius skua
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
RavenCorvus corax
Great Northern DiverGavia immer
RazorbillAlca torda
PuffinFratercula arctica
Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
TealAnas crecca
WigeonMareca penelope
Little StintCalidris minuta
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Mute SwanCygnus olor
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
House SparrowPasser domesticus
House MartinDelichon urbicum
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus

🦌

Mammals3 species

summerautumn

2025

Harbour Seal · Common Porpoise · Grey Seal

Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Common PorpoisePhocoena phocoena
Grey SealHalichoerus grypus

🌿

Plants2 species

summer

2025

Sea Plantain · Perennial Sow-thistle

Sea PlantainPlantago maritima
Perennial Sow-thistleSonchus arvensis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Andy Farrington · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Brough of Birsay

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱St Magnus' ChurchUrban park1.2 km→✦Oxtro BrochHistoric site2.2 km→⛪St Magnus' ChurchReligious grounds1.2 km→✦Point of Snusan Volunteers' Gun BatteryHistoric site1.3 km→✦Buckquoy (settlement)Historic site500 m→✦The Knowe of BuckquoyHistoric site600 m→

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