Sanday is a European Marine Site and also has Special Protection Area designation. Its importance is widely recognised; especially regarding the Common Seals resident in these waters, the over-wintering waders such as Turnstone and Purple Sandpiper, and the Machair dune system.
The island’s underlying geology, and the erosion caused by winds and tides, has resulted in a unique geography that supplies great areas of sand-flats and rocks, providing feeding grounds for waders and haul-outs for seals.
We have both Grey and Common seals in our Sanday waters and occasionally glimpse whales or porpoise. Sometimes whales are stranded on our beaches.
There are ten species of mammal breeding on Sanday and many varieties of birds either live and breed here or pass through. Spectacular flocks of Greylag geese can be seen in the winter months. We also have some interesting and quite rare plant life.
The Sanday Development Trust has produced a range of information leaflets (Birds, Mammals, Wild Flowers), which can be found around the island, and the Ranger can supply further information on request. There is also a Scottish Natural Heritage leaflet on Sanday and the European Marine Site.
These pages will be developed with fuller information on the island’s natural history.
From The Vaults: Sperm Whale Stranding
