The counties of Caithness and Sutherland are outstanding for their birdlife during all seasons of the year. Many resident Highland species such as golden eagle, ptarmigan, crossbill and crested tit are found here. The two counties are particularly important for their large population of migratory species that visit either during the breeding season or to winter here.

From April until July the expanses of open peatlands are home to greenshank, golden plover, dunlin and many other species of wading bird, that raise their broods on the teeming insect life of the blanket bogs. The complex network of dark shallow pools and larger lochs provides nesting areas for several species of wildfowl, including common scoter, widgeon, red-throated and black-throated divers.

Away from the peatlands, impressive sea cliffs contain some of the most spectacular colonies of seabirds in Britain, with high numbers of guillemot and kittiwake crowding the cliff ledges.

At the end of the breeding season the intertidal flats in sheltered lochs and bays and offshore waters of east Sutherland become the focus of attention, where many thousands of migratory wildfowl and waders arrive for food and shelter over the winter months. Particularly impressive are the late autumn gatherings of widgeon and greylag geese on the mudflats and salt marshes.

Much of the countryside within the two counties is remote and little disturbed, so visitors to the area stand a good chance of seeing our native animals in their natural surroundings.

Red deer are numerous and widespread throughout the moors, while roe deer and the introduced sika deer are more commonly found in woodland. Pine marten and red squirrel, which are present in small numbers, also favour woodland habitat. More secretive animals which might be encountered especially at dawn and dusk are wildcat and otter. The wildcat is a shy animal, seldom glimpsed other than by the lights of cars at night. Otters can frequently be seen during the day, usually not far from water, either by the sea or by one of the many burns and rivers. In the burns salmon, trout, eels and sticklebacks are abundant.

Both the blue and brown hare occur, although their numbers have declined in recent years. The brown hare is found mainly on lowland agricultural ground, while the blue or mountain hare inhabits the moors and mountains.

The adder is the only snake of the area, but other reptiles include the common lizard and the slow worm which, despite its appearance, is neither a worm nor a snake but a legless lizard. Frogs, toads and palmate newts are also widespread and are particularly obvious during the spawning period in early spring.

Pictures from the Caithness Biodiversity Collection