Wildlife Chronicles

ST TARRAN'S ISLE by Peter Cunningham

Many's the time I have looked across at the island of Taransay from the Luskentyre Banks and wished I could cross the Sound and enjoy its fine sandy beaches and fertile machair. Last week my wish was granted and I spent several hours exploring as much of the island as lay within my reach. The Sound of Taransay, being shallow and swept by strong tides, sustains a great variety of sea birds at all times of the year. On the day we crossed there was the usual procession of Gannets, snowy white adults and dusky immature birds, some diving spectacularly as we passed. A few Manx Shearwaters skimmed the surface showing alternately their black upperparts and white belly and underwings. Many parties of auks dived for safety in our path and it was interesting to find that Razorbills far outnumbered Guillemots, which are commoner with us in Lewis. Graceful terns searched the waters for small fish, amongst which we recognised Arctic and Little Terns.

The first birds seen on Taransay were a group of twelve Cormorants perched above their nesting caves in the low cliffs of the east side. A herd of Red Deer grazed close to the beautiful expanse of sand at the south-east corner on which we landed. After a hurried lunch we dispersed to explore our surroundings. For an island reputedly only five miles by two and a half at its widest Taransay is difficult to get to know on a brief visit. For myself, in the time available, I was able to penetrate little more than a mile inland, following a stream to Loch Cromlach and beyond. Two dilapidated Norse Mills were once powered by this little stream but are now almost overgrown by bracken and flags. Few birds were seen: anxious pairs of Ringed Plover and Redshank tried to lure me from their nesting area on the wet machair and I nearly trod on a single Snipe while only one or two Wheatears, a Wren, a Raven, Meadow Pipits and Hooded Crows were seen on the hill.

Mist descended on Beinn na h-Uidhe persuading me not reluctantly to turn back past Loch na Gaoithe, an appropriate name for a loch in such an exposed situation. Here I was embarrassed by a superfluity of wire fences which fortunately lacked the barbaric top strand of mainland fences. How much more attractive were the ancient stone dykes which criss-crossed the island! It was remarkable how much of the inhospitable interior had been devoted to lazybeds, whose corrugations could be seen in the most unlikely settings. Such careful husbandry of slender resources is in glaring contrast to the present dereliction of good land in more accessible places. A lot of people must have lived on Taransay then. Indeed Martin Martin wrote that he found it "very fruitful in corn and grass" and near our landing place we came across the pitiable remains of many old houses, a graveyard and all that remains of a chapel dedicated, according to Martin, to St Tarran.