Last month we had the spectacular Orkney Nature Festival. Ian McNab tells us all about what they got up to on the fun-filled week of wildlife watching.
Orkney Nature Festival 2019
What a week we had for this year’s Orkney Nature Festival, with more events, more people and more wildlife than ever before. And for the second year in a row, the festival brought stunning weather too: the sun was shining from day one, and Orkney’s notorious winds calmed to a refreshing breeze.
A scheduling conflict led to an earlier start than usual, as over one hundred nature enthusiasts descended upon Kirkwall on a Saturday evening to enjoy stories from wildlife cameraman, Raymond Besant. It was an inspirational way to kick off the festival, with incredible images from right here in Orkney, all the way to the mountains of Tibet.
Festivities then began in earnest on Monday. Sarah Wilkins taught us a new way of appreciating nature, with her talk on using British Sign Language with nature, while professional storyteller, Marita Lück, took us around the world with her tales of magical birds. In the evening, the islands’ natural and cultural heritage came together in a “Flowers and Folklore” walk through the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.
As the week progressed, visitors were able to tick off more and more of Orkney’s iconic species: hen harriers at the Loons on Tuesday; Primula scotica at Yesnaby on Wednesday, and the newborn white-tailed eagle chicks in Hoy on Thursday.
Primula scotica. Credit: Anne Gascoigne
Thursday also brought rare disappointment however, as easterly winds put an end to any boat trips into the Gloup this year. This treacherous sea-cave is a challenge to navigate at the best of times, so its depths had to remain unexplored for the moment. Fortunately, the RSPB Local Group will be running some trips throughout the summer, so hopefully those that missed out can get on.
The weather took a slight downturn on Saturday, with ominous clouds and the odd shower. It didn’t dampen spirits though, as the islanders of Stronsay came out in force for a walk and the spring craft fair, while those enjoying a dive into the waters of Scapa Flow were probably expecting to get a little wet anyway. Fortunately for the more creative among us, the pottery, sand art and creative writing classes were all held indoors, with Orkney’s natural heritage providing the inspiration for our budding artists.
Stronsay walk. Credit Ian McNab.
Our second boat-related hiccup came as the ferry to Egilsay was taken out of commission for some impromptu repairs. This led to the postponement of our “Birdsong of Onziebust” walk, which instead became an unexpected encore with its move to Monday morning.
The traditional finale however, has always been the Nature Festival Cruise. As usual, NorthLink Ferries’ MV Hamnavoe was packed to capacity, this time for a tour of the dramatic west Mainland coast. Even if there hadn’t been a bird in sight, it would still have been a magnificent journey: the craggy cliffs of Yesnaby, the soft sands of Skaill and the towering Kitchener Memorial were all highlights. Nevertheless, we were treated to spectacular views of guillemots, puffins, and bonxies, not to mention the pod of Risso’s dolphins which accompanied us around the Birsay coast.
Risso's dolphins. Credit: Christine Hall
While the 2019 festival has long been finished now, Orkney’s spectacular natural world is coming more alive each day. If you’re looking for carpets of wildflowers, seabird cities and soaring eagles, all within a single stroll, this is the time and the place for your next wild excursion.
As always, I’d like to thank all the partners that make the festival possible. There are far too many to list here, and I’m sorry if I’ve not been able to mention your contributions. Rest assured though, that we’re grateful to every single one of you.
Header image Credit: Christine Hall