The Wildlife Map of the Hebrides

2. Loch Branahuie

This loch- on the narrow neck of land connecting Point to the rest of Lewis- has a freshwater spring source, but receives a great deal of sea spray in storms. It offers shelter to gulls and seaducks in bad weather, including tufted ducks, long tailed ducks, wigeon, scaup and red-breasted mergansers, most of which may also be seen in adjacent bays. Shags are frequent offshore, and in late summer and winter they are joined by black-throated divers and great northern divers. St Columba's Church, the old burial ground of the Macleod chiefs of Lewis, lies a short distance to the east.