Every spring, almost 100,000 seabirds – guillemots, great skuas, razorbills and puffins – descend on the small island of Handa, just off Scotland's far north-west coast. Handa Island can be glimpsed from many points among the coastline of far north-western Scotland, but its proximity to the mainland means that unless you know what you're looking at – or have a map to hand – you may not realise it's actually an island. At its nearest point, just 300m separate it from the rest of the country; close enough that you might be tempted to think, on a sunny day, to swim out to it, were it not for the chill of the water.
The 10-minute ferry to the island leaves from the small pier at Tarbet, a little hamlet 5.5 winding miles by road from the larger village of Scourie. Approaching its eastern side, and landing on a soft white-sand beach lapped by turquoise water, the island looked surprisingly tranquil, with little indication of the steep cliffs covered in seabirds that it is famous for.
It was these birds that I – and the 14 other passengers on the ferry – had come out to see. During breeding season (April to July), the island is home to around 100,000 seabirds, making it one of the largest breeding colonies in north-western Europe. Among these feathery visitors are Arctic skua, which the Handa Island Wildlife Reserve map, given out during the ranger's introductory talk, advises on how to deal with them swooping towards you: "Hold up your hand and move on quickly.
" Needles.
