The coast of Scotland is a haven for seabirds. If you are staying at one of the many Princes Street hotels Edinburgh has to offer, you will see only seagulls gliding on the wind above and perched on statues. However, just a short distance away is the seaside and offshore are the Isle of May, Craigleith, and the famous Bass Rock. Here gannets, puffins, shags, and cormorants gather to create what David Attenborough has called one of the “Twelve Wildlife Wonders of the World.”
The only way one can see this amazing gathering of nature is by visiting Edinburgh’s Scottish Seabird Centre. The centre on the shore of the Firth of Forth offers remote viewing through live cameras on the islands. This gives visitors a chance to observe the masses of seabirds and the other animals who call the islands home without disturbing their natural habitat. Visitors can control the cameras and zoom in to get a close look at the birds and their young. This feature makes the Scottish Seabird Centre one of the best examples of sustainable tourism in the world.
The centre also offers Seabird Seafari boat trips (five hours in length) to the islands from March to October. In addition, they have exclusive landing rights on Bass Rock. This rock is the home of more than 150,000 gannets, making it the largest gannetry in the world. The sheer number of birds makes the island look like it is covered with snow. Visitors will also get a chance to witness chumming, when the gannet’s dive for fish, reaching speed up to 100 kilometres per hour.
The Isle of May too is home to a vast array of seabirds, including a puffin colony with 70,000 pairs. The island also accommodates thousands of grey seals each winter, who birth and raise their fluffy pups here. From this cold rocky island in the North Sea to a luxury hotel Edinburgh offers accommodation of many types. One should stay in the hotel of course but be sure to visit the rocks.
No comments:
Post a Comment