Glendale, Skye - Tourist Guide
Seabirds of Glendale, Isle of Skye
Gannets
Gannets are very common in Glendale and they can be seen daily, diving close to the shore and Pier in Loch Pooltiel, between April and October.
It is a spectacular sight to watch them plunging head-first into the water from great heights on the long Summer evenings.
Gannet in Loch Pooltiel.
Skuas
Great Skuas, commonly known as 'bonxies', and the daintier Arctic Skuas are now being seen regularly at Neist Point between May and September. Bonxies also regularly come into Loch Pooltiel to harass the gulls.
Shearwaters
Manx Shearwaters feed in huge numbers off Neist Point in late Summer.
Recent Bird Sightings
25th Sep 2026
2-hour seawatch at Neist in the morning: gannets pouring past at a rate of 600+ per hour (the most gannets I've seen all year), 3 manx shearwaters south, smaller numbers of kittiwakes, common gulls and auks south, 3 black guillemots south.
23rd Sep 2026
Hen Harrier - Neist
September 2026
2.5 hour seawatch at Neist Point: 2 arctic skuas south, 1 bonxie (great skua) south, 1 hen harrier north (far out over the sea), 2 drake eiders south. There were two skylarks at the car park and two on the point. First I've seen since July.
There were three redshank flying around the pier and skerries in Loch Pooltiel, early evening.
More recent wildlife sightings
Black Guillemot at Neist Point.
Auks
In Summer, the stunning coastal waters and cliffs around Glendale are home to many hundreds of guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, kittiwakes and shags.
Puffins are also regularly seen off Neist Point in small numbers, although they do not nest on Skye.
The beautiful black guillemot, with its white wing-patches and red legs, is resident all year round.
Fulmar at Neist Point.