Sea Pies

Oystercatchers are known as Skeldro, Chaldro, or Shaalder in Orkney. If you think those names are difficult, internationally they are known as Haematopus ostralegus.

A trip to the even-more-northerly-than-Westray island of North Ronalsay gives us an opportunity to see them close up.

Their red eye-ring is very distinctive:

As is their piercing alarm call:

And so is their ability to fly away at the first sign of your presence:

Seeing them is a great experience.