Orkney is a paradise for bird-watchers and Lochland Chalets is the perfect centre for a bird-watching holiday. There are three RSPB reserves within a ten-mile radius and, even better than that, a bird hide a few feet from the back door. The chalets back onto one of the few remaining wetland areas in Orkney.

The pattern of shallow pools, reedbed, marsh and patches of willow scrub attracts large numbers of birds. Eight species of duck breed here: mallard, teal, wigeon, shoveler, pintail, shelduck, tufted duck and red-breasted merganser. In the autumn and winter large flocks of migrating and wintering wildfowl are attracted to the area. In the summer months stretches of bare silt attract waders. Redshanks, curlews, lapwings, oystercatchers, dunlins, snipes and ringed plovers all breed here. Other breeding birds include moorhen, coot, little grebe, reed bunting, black-headed gull and ground-nesting wood-pigeon. Water rail can be seen and heard occasionally and may breed here.

House martins built a nest in the house next door last year and the householder intends to supply a nesting box this year in the hope of attracting them again.

The RSPB reserve at Marwick Head is less then five miles away. Over 36,000 guillemots and almost 7000 pairs of kittiwakes are crowded into less than a mile of coastline. There are also many fulmars and razorbills and small numbers of ravens, rock doves and twites. Just along the coast, on the tidal island of the Brough of Birsay it is usually possible to get very good views of puffins.

A few miles in the other direction is a moorland reserve. The most common birds are meadow pipits and skylarks with smaller numbers of wrens, wheatears, stonechats and twites. Merlins, kestrels, short-eared owls and hen-harriers breed here.

The RSPB office in Stromness will be happy to give you any more information you might want. Give them a ring on 01856 850176