Where can I watch birds on Rousay?
Loch of Wasbister, a short walk from the farm, is a good place to begin. Our map also identifies three eBird hotspots, and Egilsay offers another outing by ferry. What you see depends on the season and conditions; the monthly bird charts below help you choose when and where to look.
Birds close to the cottages
Rousay has three eBird hotspots. Loch of Wasbister is a short walk from the farm, and it’s the closest to the cottages. Greylag geese and lapwings are among the birds recorded there. The links below have the full lists.
See all three eBird hotspots on our Rousay map.
A hotspot is a place where birders share sightings.
Birds through the months
The table shows which of these twelve birds people have reported on Rousay in each month. It combines all years of public monthly records from the island’s three eBird hotspots, checked on 17 September 2026.
The records tell us when birds have been seen, rather than how common they are or what will be here on your visit. A blank month doesn’t mean the bird is absent. Some places and seasons have far more reports than others. On a phone, you can swipe across to see all twelve months. Each bird’s name links to its illustration and notes.
| Bird | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oystercatcher | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Lapwing | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Curlew | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Redshank | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Snipe | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Arctic tern | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Eider | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Hen harrier | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Jun: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Short-eared owl | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Fulmar | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
| Skylark | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Greylag goose | Jan: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Feb: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Mar: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Apr: reported in the sampled Rousay records | May: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Aug: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Sep: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Oct: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Nov: reported in the sampled Rousay records | Dec: reported in the sampled Rousay records |
● Reported in this month — No report found in this sample. A dash does not mean the bird is absent. Checked 17 September 2026.
There’s more to the seasons than these records show. RSPB lists eleven of these birds as present in the UK all year, and Arctic terns from April to September. Those dates cover the whole UK, so local sightings vary. RSPB recommends summer at Trumland for hen harriers and short-eared owls, including months with no reports in our eBird sample.
Twelve birds to look for
All twelve birds are on eBird’s Rousay list. The illustrations and notes will help you recognise them and find places to look. The seasonal dates come from RSPB and cover the whole UK.
Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
UK presence: year-round
Black and white, with a long orange-red bill and pink legs. Found along shores and in wet fields.
A familiar Orkney shore bird, with records on Rousay and Egilsay.
Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
UK presence: year-round
A wader with a fine crest, a green sheen on its back and broad, rounded wings.
Onziebust’s grassland and wetlands are good places to look. There are records from Loch of Wasbister too.
Curlew
Numenius arquata
UK presence: year-round
A large mottled-brown wader with a long, down-curved bill and a carrying, bubbling call.
Found along shores and in wetlands. RSPB highlights curlews at both Trumland and Onziebust.
Redshank
Tringa totanus
UK presence: year-round
A brown-and-grey wader with red legs and red at the base of its bill.
Onziebust’s wetlands are a place to look. The Rousay eBird records we used include reports in every month.
Snipe
Gallinago gallinago
UK presence: year-round
A very long straight bill and striped brown plumage help this small wader blend into wet vegetation.
Local guides mention summer snipe at Faraclett Head and winter birds on Egilsay’s eastern shore.
Arctic tern
Sterna paradisaea
UK presence: April–September
A pale, slender seabird with a black cap, red bill and long tail streamers in adult summer plumage.
A summer bird at Faraclett Head. RSPB lists it in the UK from April to September. The Rousay records we used run from April to July.
Eider
Somateria mollissima
UK presence: year-round
A sturdy sea duck with a wedge-shaped bill. The illustrated adult male is black and white with a pale green nape; females are mottled brown.
A bird of coastal waters. RSPB lists Onziebust as a place to see eiders. There are eBird records from both Rousay and Egilsay.
Hen harrier
Circus cyaneus
UK presence: year-round
Flies low over open moorland with a light, buoyant flight. Adult males are pale grey with black wingtips. Females and young birds are brown.
Can be harder to spot on the moorland. RSPB recommends summer at Trumland, even though there are summer gaps in the eBird records we used.
Short-eared owl
Asio flammeus
UK presence: year-round
A buff-and-brown owl with yellow eyes and long wings, sometimes seen hunting in daylight.
Can be harder to spot at Trumland. RSPB recommends summer, and the local eBird records we used run from April to July.
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
UK presence: year-round
A grey-and-white seabird with a sturdy bill and stiff-winged flight. Its tubular nostrils distinguish it from a gull.
A bird of coastal cliffs. RSPB describes fulmars nesting on Trumland’s rocky outcrops.
Skylark
Alauda arvensis
UK presence: year-round
A small, streaked brown bird, often noticed first by its long song high over open ground.
There are skylarks at Faraclett Head in summer and across Egilsay’s open farmland in spring and summer. The local records we used run from March to September.
Greylag goose
Anser anser
UK presence: year-round
A large grey-brown goose with a stout orange bill and pink legs. Groups can be easy to spot around fields and water.
Recorded at Loch of Wasbister, elsewhere on Rousay and on Egilsay. The combined Rousay records we used include sightings in every month.
Moorland at RSPB Trumland
RSPB Trumland is a moorland reserve you can explore on your own. Summer is a good time to look for hen harriers and short-eared owls. Fulmars nest on the rocky outcrops.
The reserve trail is about 4.7 km. It’s rough, wet and steep in places, and there’s no staffed visitor centre. This is a different walk from the longer route starting at the pier in our walking guide. The RSPB page has current access details.
Faraclett Head and the coast
Arctic terns, snipe and skylarks are among the summer birds listed in the Faraclett Head walking guide. The walk crosses exposed ground above the cliffs.
Saviskaill Bay is another lovely place to sit by the shore. Our Saviskaill Bay guide has details of beach access. There are also boat-charter operators who can arrange wildlife trips.
Egilsay: wetlands and an RSPB reserve
Egilsay is an easy half-day trip from the farm. RSPB Onziebust has grassland, wetlands, lochs and shore. RSPB highlights lapwing, curlew and redshank here, and its eider guide recommends Onziebust too.
In spring and summer, there are curlews and skylarks to listen for across the open landscape. In winter, RSPB describes visiting waders and wildfowl along the eastern shore, including snipe. The Egilsay walking guide has more about exploring the island.
Ten of the twelve birds illustrated here are on Egilsay’s eBird list. Most reports come from just a few months. The table shows those sightings, with gaps where we found no reports.
See Egilsay’s monthly eBird records
| Bird | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oystercatcher | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Lapwing | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Curlew | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Redshank | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Snipe | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Arctic tern | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Eider | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Fulmar | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Skylark | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
| Greylag goose | Jan: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Feb: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Mar: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Apr: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | May: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jun: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Jul: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Aug: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Sep: reported in the sampled Egilsay records | Oct: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Nov: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present | Dec: no report in this sample; the bird may still be present |
● Reported in this month — No report found in this sample. A dash does not mean the bird is absent. Checked 17 September 2026.
There are gaps in these winter records, but RSPB describes winter birdwatching at Onziebust.
Orkney Ferries runs the daily service. Its timetable shows which islands each sailing calls at and when you can return. Our ferry guide has more about the journey.
On the reserves
Sightings depend on the season, weather and a little luck.
At Trumland, RSPB asks for dogs to be on short leads from 1 April to 15 August and around livestock.
Find out more
We’ve used public eBird records, RSPB information about reserves and birds, and local details from Orkney.com. These were checked on 17 September 2026. The twelve illustrations include familiar shore and farmland birds, plus moorland birds that can be harder to spot. There are many more birds on the island than these twelve.
The Rousay calendar combines Rousay, Loch of Wasbister and RSPB Trumland. Egilsay has its own table. A dot means there’s at least one report for that month in the public records, looking across all years. It doesn’t tell us how many birds are here now or how likely a sighting is.
RSPB’s Trumland and Onziebust pages describe the habitats and what to look for through the year. The bird guides below each illustration give the months when each species is found in the UK. Orkney’s birdwatching guide covers the wider islands.
Review the monthly eBird source lists
Rousay: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Loch of Wasbister: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
RSPB Trumland: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Egilsay: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Photographic references for the illustrations
These Wikimedia Commons photographs helped with the birds’ markings and identification details. The illustrations have their own original compositions.
- Curlew: Andreas Trepte (CC BY-SA 2.5); Ken Billington (CC BY-SA 3.0).
- Lapwing: Andreas Trepte (CC BY-SA 2.5); Hauke Roy (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Redshank: Andreas Trepte (CC BY-SA 2.5); Stephan Sprinz (CC BY 4.0).
- Snipe: Alpsdake (CC BY-SA 3.0); Hobbyfotowiki (CC0).
- Hen harrier: Kositoes (Public domain); Александр Чегодаев (CC0).
- Short-eared owl: Mdf (CC BY-SA 3.0); User:Rodolphe (CC BY-SA 3.0).
- Fulmar: Northern-Fulmar2.jpg: Andreas Trepte derivative work: Bogbumper (talk) (CC BY-SA 2.5); Elrond (CC BY-SA 4.0); Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Eider: Andreas Trepte (CC BY-SA 2.5); Chuck Homler, Focus On Wildlife (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Greylag goose: Lukáš Kadava (CC BY-SA 4.0); Filori (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Oystercatcher: MPF (CC BY-SA 3.0); Jörg Hempel (CC BY-SA 3.0 de).
- Arctic tern: AWeith (CC BY-SA 4.0); Hertha56 (CC BY-SA 4.0); W. Bulach (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Skylark: User:Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0); Alun Williams333 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
A few more questions
Which eBird hotspot is closest to the cottages?
Loch of Wasbister is the closest, a short walk from the farm. The other two are listed on eBird as Rousay and RSPB Trumland, Rousay.
What is a good time of year for birdwatching on Rousay?
In spring and summer there are singing farmland birds, breeding waders and summer seabirds. RSPB recommends summer at Trumland for hen harriers and short-eared owls. There are birds at other times of year too; the records and notes above show more of what’s been seen.
Does an empty month mean a bird is not there?
No. It means we found no report for that month in the lists we used. Volunteers add these sightings, and some months have much more coverage than others. RSPB’s local information gives more detail about the seasons.
Can we visit Egilsay for half a day?
Yes, Egilsay is an easy half-day trip from the farm. Orkney Ferries runs the daily service, with outward and return times in its timetable.
Are wildlife sightings guaranteed?
No, they’re wild birds. What you see depends on the season, weather, where you go and how long you spend watching.
From Stay Rousay. Practical information checked 17 September 2026. The links go to the operators and local organisations for the latest details.