Noss

9,000 Gannets nesting on cliffs at Rumble Wick

Noss Head looking north

Bonxie posing

Ferry excursion around Noss

Bonxies in flight

Noss Head

Gannets nest on Noup of Ness

Voe of the Mels

Rumble Wick

At last summer had eased in after several days of wind and rain and after the excursion to Lingness there was a chance to get across to Noss.  I had tried once before but the inflatable that ferries people across Noss Sound to the Noss National Nature Reserve had been withdrawn for the day. The cycle ride over Bressay was accompanied by perpetual bird song with lapwings serenading me and the wind was light. The long freewheel past the Loch of Brough was fair compensation for the climb up to the spine of the island. I cycled through the car park and descended the path to the ferry, glad of some decent brakes and immediately was welcomed by the cheery ferry woman who was in her first season at this National Nature Reserve.  After we landed and were given a short introduction to the reserve I looked up and saw an Otter patrolling a stretch of water in Nessi voe.  This was a magical place.


I made a complete anticlockwise circuit of the isle, enjoying the tranquility of the fertile grazing land with a lot of newly born lambs.  As I began the coastal walk  I saw Wheatears, Wrens, Starlings, dozens of Bonxies and Gannets fishing out at sea. From Feada Ness the route arked round the cliff edge and thousands of Fulmars, Guillemots, Gannets, and various gulls were in competition for the ledges.  The warm breeze and super abundance of bird life made it a truly inspiring visit and I sat for a while at the top of a cliff watching the gannets wheeling in from their fishing expeditions. Apparently the Puffins were all around but in their burrows and none popped out whilst I was camera ready.

Returning to the ferry by the north shore, I was on the edge of Bonxie territory and they circled me but kept their distance.  The ferry back across the Noss Sound was relaxed and we were told that the eminent Bressay naturalist and skipper of the Noss wildlife boat, Jonathan Wills, had just phoned to report Minke whales to the north of Bressay.  I thought I had left it too late to catch the Bressay to Lerwick ferry with just 15 minutes for the 4 mile cycle ride including a long ascent but a lung bursting climb followed by a descent at car speed saw me arriving just before the ferry set sail.  I was back in Lerwick in good time having had a thoroughly amazing day to add to the collection that have inspired me over recent months.