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
13th May 2026
A 2.5 hour seawatch at Neist in the morning produced: 1 whimbrel north, 2 common terns north, many hundreds of guillemots & razorbills south. 400+ kittiwakes surface feeding at the tip of Neist. A few manx shearwaters amongst the kittiwakes. Just 20 fulmars on the nesting ledges today.
11th May 2026
Manx Shearwater - Neist
May 2026
Great Northern Diver - Neist
May 2026
Three pale phase arctic skuas went south past Neist and a dark phase bird went north in the morning. There was only a single fulmar on the nesting ledges today. There were 40+ manx shearwaters hanging about on the water at the tip of Neist with a single great northern diver. There was a significant passage of kittiwakes heading north in groups of 12-20 and also a significant passage of auks heading south in groups of 20-30. A commic tern went north in the morning.
10th May 2026
There was an unconfirmed report of two pomarine skuas north past Neist Point at 3:10pm.
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.